Blood
by cupcakeriot
Summary: I realized, with no small amount of disbelief, that my life had become the vampire version of Cinderella. Except that I didn't lose a shoe once upon a time; I lost my life. I also realized, reluctantly, that I belonged to him – that my blood was his.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

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**Prologue**

_**Edward Cullen**_

_**1993**_

There is always a beginning.

If there is anything I have learned in this life, it is that there is _always_ a clear beginning and a clear ending to every story, every experience and every painful memory. That's not to say there were things I would rather forget – things that needed to be forgotten, because remembering them was simply too much to endure.

The death of my grandfather is something I very much wish to forget. I had witnessed his murder when I was a small child – it was before the time of our current governing system, when the covens were more like packs of wolves than beings that resembled humans. One of the rival covens had come into my grandfather's territory in the far north to challenge the ownership of the area; my own father had hidden my mother and I away with the other women and children and, through a crack in the door, I had watched as blood spewed across the wooden floors.

I watched my grandfather fall, his face ashen, and I watched – and admired – how my own virile father took revenge for the death of our coven leader. From that day forward, Carlisle Cullen became the leader of the coven and he nearly single handedly organized the ranks of government all covens around the world used today.

There are memories, however, that I wish to keep for as long as I live.

I am nearing five hundred years old.

I have seen many things.

But none have ever been comparable to _her_.

If I were to forget _her_, I believe I would simply cease to exist. The one night I had _her_, the night _she_ became mine forevermore, would always be my strongest, most treasured memory, one that I replay frequently.

_I clench my jaw, looking down at my grandfather's ornate silver pocket watch – the very one that he had given to me the day he died. The sharp points of detailing push against the skin of my hands, trying to make an imprint even as the small hands tick closer and closer to eight in the evening and I realize how late I'm going to be. As the carriage begins to slow, I put the watch back in the interior pocket of my heavy navy coat and allow my body to tense, prepared for violence – because this unplanned stop was not part of my ride._

_A gruff voice speaks to the carriage driver and I feel movement as the driver steps down from his post. He knocks once on the carriage door and opens it. "Sir-"_

"_Anderson. What is the problem?"_

_Anderson looks down, sweating – though it is very difficult to discern sweat from the pouring rain that drips over his thin face. "I beg your forgiveness, Sir, but this man's carriage broke down and his daughter is inside. He pleads for assistance, as he does not want his daughter to fall ill in this weather."_

_My eyes flicker past Anderson and to the man with thick facial hair and the carriage with two broken wheels behind him. I sigh. "Very well. But this stop is making me tardy, Anderson," I warn lowly._

_Quickly, the man rushes to his carriage and retrieves his daughter after Anderson informs him of my assistance and I move over to the opposite side of the carriage, to the smaller seat that faces the back of the cab. _

_The man helps his daughter into the carriage first, as is the protocol for this time, and the large jacket that she borrows from her father is soaking the upholstery of the seat. _

_I force my face to remain composed as I take in the appearance of my new passengers, refraining from taking deep breathes as their scents are noticeably enhanced from the rain – I do not want to take any chances of becoming thirsty while trapped in this small area._

_The man looks familiar now that he is inside, with a balding dark head of hair and dark eyes but he is nothing remarkable. Simply very human. His daughter, however, seems to exceed her parentage; youthful pale skin, full dark pink lips, long very dark hair piled on top of her head and hanging down her back and her figure tightly encased in a corseted creamy taupe gown, adorned with lace and a voluptuous skirt. I lick my lips, my fangs threatening to slip out at the thought of sinking my teeth into her smooth throat. _

"_Monsieur Cullen?" The man asks in a thick, gruffly French accent, surprise evident in his voice._

_My eyes move slowly from his daughter and I stare at the man again. It's no wonder he looked so familiar – Simone Roux was a human associate of my father's and was slated to be attending tonight's function – the celebration of the New Year of 1752. I nod at him once. "How fated it is that my driver passed by your carriage," I say._

_Though I am not looking at her, I am very aware of how her eyes dart to my face when I speak. Her father, on the other hand, becomes quite nervous and refuses to meet my eyes; he must have suspicions about my family. _

"_Oui, very fortunate," he agrees, pulling out a handkerchief and dabbing his forehead._

_The rest of the ride, though short, is filled with silence, save for Simone Roux's heavy anxious breathing and his daughter's fluttering heart when she glances subtly in my direction._

_Once, I smile at her and her face turns the most brilliant shade of pink._

_I find I quite like that._

_I'd like to see it again._

_I had planned to behave like a gentleman and assist Simone's lovely daughter out of the carriage, but he beat me to it, hurriedly thanking me for my kindness while his daughter stood behind him with her head bowed slightly. And then, before I can escort them into my parent's lofty Victorian home in the depths of Georgia, my younger brother, Emmett, comes to greet me._

"_Brother," he says, shaking my hand for appearance's sake. "Are you aware you are standing in a rather large puddle?"_

_I nod at him, struggling to remove my eyes from Simone Roux's daughter, though the wetness seeping into the leather of my shoes prompts me to move. _

_Emmett follows my gaze and whistles lowly. "And now I can clearly see what has you so distracted."_

_I hiss at him. "Watch your tongue."_

"_And what would you do about my tongue, big brother?"_

"_I would cut it from your mouth," I tell him, finally moving and walking towards the entrance of the home. I can smell firewood, ale, cookies and blood; the sound feels deafening between the string band and the echoing of fifty heart beats. _

_Emmett follows me. "It would just grow back, I assure you."_

_I glance at him sideways. "Then I would just be forced to cut it out again."_

_He laughs. "I don't think Mother would appreciate the stains on her carpets."_

"_What makes you think I could cut your tongue out _inside_ the house?"_

"_It would be unkind to cut it out anywhere else."_

_We pass through the foyer. "But if I cut it out here, right now?"_

_Emmett shrugs. "It is forgivable."_

_I laugh a bit at my brother's ridiculous logic and begin mingling with the guests, coven members and human alike. I spend the most time watching for Simone's daughter and often find myself distracted from conversation as I look for her._

_It is only when I am speaking to another of my father's human associates that I see her, dancing with a young man – and I am grateful to my brother for his quick hand on my shoulder, holding me back. The human I was speaking to turns white and flees and I can only imagine the fury on my face in reaction to seeing _her_ dance with another man._

"_Brother? Calm down. You're scaring the humans." I feel a growl rumbling in my chest as I try to shake his strong hand off my body, but again, Emmett pulls me back. "Brother, you will scare that girl if you go over there now, looking to the rest of the world like you wish to end her life."_

_I take a deep breath, forcing my reason to over power my stinging jealousy – and jealousy over a measly human, at that. "I'm calm," I tell him, feeling the pressure let up from my shoulder._

_I don't understand my reaction to this girl, whose name I do not even know. I simply know that I want her in any capacity I can have her and it is with that thought that I move to the dance floor, waiting for the song to finish. When it does, I swiftly move towards her dance partner. "May I have this dance?"_

"_Oui," she answers breathlessly, trying to untangle herself from her partner's clumsy embrace. When he does not move, I bare my teeth slightly at him and his eyes blink wide. He nods dumbly and I assume that he must be one of the duller humans and, as such, he should not be allowed in the presence of such grace and beauty. _

_I lock eyes with her as he moves away, startled at the vivid dark blue, almost violet color of her irises; the odd color made her even more lovely. Cautiously, I hold my hand out to her, thrilling when a hot dash of electricity races across my skin when her tiny hand settles into mine. _

_I smile._

_It is no wonder I have been so drawn to her the entire night._

_This stunning human girl was destined to be mine – to be my mate._

_If the call of her blood or the seduction of her beauty were not enough to convince me of this, the sparks that flashed over my body when my skin made contact with hers would be more than enough. _

_A blush steals her cheeks as we begin to dance and she looks shyly up to me, following my lead with grace as we move around the dance floor. _

_I lean towards her ear, just barely allowing my lips to graze the delicate shell. "What is your name, lovely one?"_

_She makes a small, confused noise in the back of her throat and I pull back, staring at her; she knows less English than her father and I curse myself for not learning French. But, I quickly decide that it doesn't matter. I can learn French in a few days or enough French in a few hours to learn what this creature is called. _

_We continue to dance and I am so lost in her that I nearly miss the countdown to the New Year; flutes of fine French champagne have been passed out and the majority of the party has turned their attention to the large clock in the foyer._

_The rest of the party, however, are congregated in the back of the room. My father is part of that group and when he catches my eye, he motions for me to join him with urgency._

_I frown._

_I had very much wished to bring the New Year in with my little mate, however unofficial our union was at this point._

_I also had duties that were more important than my desires._

_Sighing, I place my flute down on a small table and turn to my little French girl, who has turned to me in confusion. She had been happily counting down to midnight in French when I turned away._

_I lean towards her, carefully touching her cheek. "I'll be right back," I whisper, more for my benefit than hers since she doesn't understand a word I've said._

_It is almost painful leaving her and the most intense feeling of foreboding fills my body, making me tense. _

"_Yes, Father?" I bite out as I enter the small circle that includes my brother, my mother and a few others in our coven._

_Father ignores my attitude and looks at with a grave face. "Edward, we have just gotten word of an intrusion-"_

_And that is when the explosion happens – a bomb or cannon fire or a flame to gas, I'll never know._

_The explosion has knocked us all into the crumbling wall and under collapsing posts; the humans scream out and cry and the scent of fresh blood explodes into the room; the large clock in the foyer rings a total of twelve times._

_I scramble out of the wreckage, stunned by the amount of fire and smoke that had already filled the house._

_And then, my heart lurches and I rush with vampire speed to find my little human mate. _

_I find her, violet eyes staring up at the flames blankly, with a trickle of blood gently sliding down the side of her face, and my body goes cold and numb. I am on my knees beside her, my hands fluttering over her frail form, not able to understand how she can look so flawless even as her heart isn't beating._

_She is dead._

_And I am dead, too._

I wish I had died. I wish it a thousand times a day and every time I recall her vivid violet eyes.

I had been angry with my brother, who had physically removed me from the burning property and into the underground maze of tunnels that led to a safe house. I had wanted to hold her little body to my chest and take her with me and he had ruined that.

By the time it was safe for the coven to come out of the underground, the house was charred and bodies were unrecognizable.

Some times, I'm still angry with him.

And incredibly bitter.

He found his mate almost a hundred years later – a blonde vampire by the name of Rosalie. If the coven was ever attacked again, Rosalie would survive.

I found it all unfair, though I'd come to adore Rosalie as a sister. She even tried to set me up with other vampires but none could ever and would never compare to my little French mate.

I still did not know her name and there was no way for me to ever know it; Simone had also died that night and his documents were lost in transition when he moved to the New World from France. There were no records of her to be found.

After her death, the date I mark as the ending of my life – though, unfortunately, not my existence – I did not allow myself to properly grieve. I put all of my energy and then some into finding out who attacked us and killed my mate in the process.

I enjoyed making them meet the sun and their deaths.

I was certain that each and every one of them had been killed by the sun.

There were seven vampires involved and I had personally taken each of their bloodstone rings – personally tied them to silver stakes in the ground with silver chains myself.

I keep their bloodstones in a jewelry box in my room as a trophy. I hope my mate could see all that I had done for her life after she died.

Some vampires claim that finding their mates change them and I am inclined to agree. It's been two hundred and forty one years since she came into and abruptly left my life and I still take into account of how I thought her delicate sensibilities might react in every decision I make.

I swallow painfully and try to force my thoughts away from her, painfully aware that it wasn't New Years and that I had tried to restrict myself from reliving her death on every day except January first.

I sit up in my light tight day chamber, pushing the bed sheets from me and prepare to rise of bed.

Except.

_Except._

A shock goes through me.

A single thud of my heart.

And I gasp, my hand flying to my bare chest.

My heart doesn't beat again.

I growl, upset that I must finally be losing my mind after so many years without _her._

Settling my feet on the cold floors and ignoring the chills that rush up my spine, I stand.

And sit back down again.

Another thud of my heart.

A quick beat.

Almost a flutter.

It reminded me of _her_ immediately.

I feel my brows pull together as I wait for the next beat, which is as strong as the last two and accompanied by a little zing of electricity across my skin.

My eyes dart to grandfather's pocket watch for some unexplainable reason and I can't tear my eyes from it as I wait for the next beat.

I wait for one full minute.

And when my heart beats, the old silver of the pocket watch glows just a little bit.

It's almost unnoticeable.

But I remember my grandfather telling me about how demons made the pocket watch and that it had a special use to each owner.

I'd always thought that it was the ramblings of a very old vampire.

Now, I knew different.

Quickly, I reach out and grab the pocket watch, flipping it open and looking at each of the faces – one for the year, another for the month and the third for the day on one side of the watch and one large clock face that told time to the second.

Something was telling me to watch this watch.

To wait for the beat of my own heart.

That sting of electricity.

Another minute.

A beat.

A glow.

And the hands of each clock moving, moving, moving and stopping only for a moment before going back to normal.

The year sets to two thousand and twelve.

The month sets to October.

The day sets to the thirteenth.

And the time sets to the hour of five in the afternoon, fifty two minutes into the hour.

I wait for another beat.

The same thing.

Clenching the watch closed, I lay back, my eyes closed.

This had never happened before – not even close.

But I couldn't ignore the fact that it had been over two hundred years since I felt that electricity and that sheer fact ignited a pit of excitement in my chest.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was able to take full breaths.

I felt alive inside – and guilty for feeling alive.

There was the tiniest inkling to what this could be – this slow beating heart, the demon watch, the times.

I was reluctant to admit.

Even more reluctant to admit to hope.

_But._

But as another beat echoed in my chest, I saw violet eyes behind my closed lids, and I just _knew._

She's alive again.

Alive.

And mine.

And I would find her.

I started the search right away, in France as it seemed to be the most logical place to start looking.

I sent my men, my coven guards, and even requested to the King of Europe that he send some men to France, looking for a girl with violet eyes. The King granted my request, though he was under the impression that our coven was looking to convict the girl – and I let him think whatever he wanted to.

But she was no where in France.

And so, the search continued, all across the globe, though I let only my men handle it.

Eventually, the group of men narrowed down to the top three trackers under the rule of our coven and they were instructed to search for the violet eyes year-round, non-stop.

I searched too. Everywhere I could think of when I had the chance or the time away from my duties.

And for years – nineteen years to be exact – the pocket watch still repeated that same time for every beat of my heart.

I was between feeling a great amount of pain for having to wait so long to see her and just being thankful she was alive _somewhere_.

I had to believe I would see her on October 13, 2012.

Rosalie was certain that I would – as tough as she pretended to be, she was truly a hopeless romantic. She had heard about that night in 1752 more times than I could count and cried for me when I refused to let myself shed a tear.

She even went on searches herself - sometimes with me, sometimes with the trackers, sometimes alone.

Rosalie had a theory, too.

One that I hadn't considered in the very beginning.

Maybe, that first time my heart started beating, my little human mate was a _baby._

Maybe she was nineteen right now.

I didn't particularly like the thought of her being older in this life – I knew she had to have been only fifteen or sixteen in 1752 – and I knew that most girls these days gave their virginities away without thought or consequence.

I've been prone to fits of rages just at the thought.

But her being alive was the most important thing.

_ And she was alive._

I'd gotten used to the waiting, to the reports from the trackers that claim nobody with her violet eyes had been found.

So, when Rosalie and Emmett came to my personal office this morning around four, right before the dawn, almost exactly nineteen years since my heart started beating, I was expecting just that.

I wasn't expecting Leigh's huge smile.

And I most certainly wasn't expecting what my brother said;

"They found her."

This time, my heart beat twice.

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**A/N: I'm back ;)**

**So, to head off any super worried reviews – this _is_ an HEA!**

**Also, chapters are going to be shorter than this by at least half so, most likely, shorter wait times in between updates.**

**I'm off to watch more Queen of the Damned!**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

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**Chapter One**

_**Isabella Swan**_

I think I might still be high from last night. After I'd gotten off the phone with the ever so charming _Tyler_, who felt the need to quiz me on the test he was _paying_ me to ace for him, I decided that adding to my already _floating_ high wouldn't be a bad idea. It wasn't. Taking that last drag really topped me off and made my head just foggy enough that I could get a semi-decent night of sleep.

Now, I sigh, sitting up in bed, pushing my _mind-of-its-own _hair off my face. Tyler is an idiot. Tyler is pre-med but he couldn't name off the bones in a body or do an equation to save his life.

I can. I even had a reputation for being able to pass tests like this on the fly. Everyone at the University of Washington knew of me and, because of that, I was no stranger to a few crisp Benjamin Franklin's meeting my palm.

I was, however, a stranger to idiots like Tyler who thought I _needed_ to be quizzed to pass _his_ test.

Not likely. I tended to remember everything I ever read.

Unfortunately, for me, I tended to remember everything. Period.

Rolling my eyes at my own inane monologue, I glance at the clock and remember exactly _why_ I think I might still be high. I never miss my alarm but today, I've missed it by half an hour.

There went my morning shower.

In less than five minutes, I was out the door, my hair thrown up in a messy bun that was pulling on a few strands of hair, a pair of fading print skinny jeans and a too-large mocha colored hoodie. I looked about as put together as I felt, which wasn't much. My head was still foggy from both sleep and the residual high and I could feel distinct pillow lines on my face.

If I had a roommate, I'm pretty sure she would hate me. I didn't keep regular hours – I slept until whichever morning class I had or I stayed up to catch said class and if I wasn't doing either of those things, I was working overtime. It wasn't consistent but it worked for me, left time for the part-time job I was pulling down at the corner diner that made up for my lack of tuition. And what my diner paycheck didn't cover, my side-job did; it's amazing what college youth are willing to pay to get out of taking a test.

Like Tyler. He was one of those people who had teeth so white it was obvious his best friend was his dentist and with hair so purposefully messed up that it drew attention to his very sculpted eye brows. A good looking guy, for sure, but the equivalent of a Ken Doll. He was pre-med because it was expected but he didn't have the brains to pull it off – after I passed this test for him, there would be no way he could make it through med school. For the lives of his future hypothetical patients, I certainly hoped he failed.

"You're late!"

Speak of the devil.

Tyler stands in the shadow of the science building, hood pulled over his head, dressed all in black – his version of being covert, I'm sure. The look on his face is one of haughty outrage. "Did you forget?"

I shrug one shoulder. "Overslept."

"This is important!"

I slip both hands into the pocket of my hoodie. "Only if I get _paid_," I say, raising one brow.

Tyler fumbles with his wallet and hands me three hundred dollars. I tuck the money into my back pocket. "Did you get signed in?"

He nods, his head bobbing up and down nervously. "Yeah, yeah I did."

"What's your registration number?"

Tyler tries to hand me a folded up piece of paper and I shake my head. "I thought you wanted-"

I sigh. "Not to _keep_. Just read it out."

Tyler blinks, his brows furrowed, and unfolds the paper, reading the number slowly. When he looks up, he manages to catch my eye and his mouth gapes open. "Are you _high_?"

I avert my eyes, carefully looking at his eye brows so he would think I was making eye contact. Of course, even as dim as Tyler is, he isn't a complete idiot; in college, half the students are high on something all the time. And morning light doesn't hide dilated eyes.

"I needed to be calm," I mutter.

Not a lie. I had nightmares and the high made me calm, which is why I had my ritual _light and 'night_ before bed.

A few nerdy looking co-eds pass by and Tyler steps more into the shadows. "_You_ needed to be calm? I'm paying you to pass this test! How are you going to take the MCAT's high?"

I purse my lips to the side. "I don't know, Tyler. Probably the same way I handled your little quiz last night."

"You were high then?" Tyler sputters, finally throwing his hands in the air.

"A lot more high than I am right now, too," I say, taking a second to check the time on his expensive watch. "And if you'll excuse me, I have to go take a test and miss a few questions on purpose."

I don't wait for Tyler to become offended – I simply slip into the side door of the building and navigate through the back hallways until I reach the large lecture room where the test is being held. Blue books have already been passed around and the facilitator has his back turned. I make sure to sit near the back and keep my head down, filling out the front of the blue book with Tyler's information. After the test officially begins, it doesn't take me long to finish and it's clear that I'm the first one done; I wait for the perfect group, two girls and two boys, to get up before I turn in my test. I'm careful to tuck Tyler's blue book in the middle of the stack and avoid eye contact with the facilitator.

By the time I'm out of the building, my shift at the diner is about to start. I take short cuts through campus, idly enjoying the crisp October air and the crunch of leaves beneath my tan leather Oxford-style ankle boots. The walk to the diner is short, since the diner is a campus commodity and doubles as a study joint. It has a very retro-feel, with black and white checkered floors and red leather booths, and it caters to vegetarians and carnivores alike.

The manager, a kind woman whose full name is Betty-Sue but only responds to Sue, is an older woman that moved to Washington from the South. "Oh, _child_, you're almost late," she winks as I walk in the front door, the tiny silver bell announcing my arrival. A pretty floral apron is tied around her waist.

"That must be the phrase of the day," I respond, ducking under the fold-up counter and tying on my plain back bistro-apron. "That's almost exactly what Tyler said."

Sue eyes my apron with distaste, the plain black color not loud enough for her eccentric preferences, and clucks her tongue. "You still taking those tests?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

The diner is a bit empty at the moment, save for Mr. Newton, the old trucker who makes a point to stop in for Sue's "_soul warming pies"_ every time he's in town. He laughs, hearing our conversation, and Sue moves over to him, topping off his cup of coffee. "Thank you, ma'am," he says, tipping his head down.

Sue blushes.

I don't comment.

She turns to me, one hand on her hip and the other hand holding a stainless steel canister of coffee. "Why wouldn't you? Maybe because it's a little bit illegal, Bella."

I feel a smile tugging at my lips. "A _little bit_ illegal isn't enough to stop me," I retort, wiping down the counter. I glance at the salt shakers and decided they need refilling.

Sue and Mr. Newton laugh and the subject is dropped as a couple of customers come in. Sue is eager to spread her special brand of Southern hospitality – which meant she tried to fatten up the kids she thought were looking too thin and raising her brows disapprovingly when older men ordered bacon – and quickly moves to greet the small group.

It's calm, mind-numbing work as I refill salt and pepper shakers, transfer ketchup to empty bottles and fit as many packs of Sweet'N Low into square white ceramic dishes. I think that's what I like best about working at the diner; I can just fall into the motions, slow down my mind, and forget things for a while. It's exhausting remembering everything and even though I can recite Mr. Newton's entire order from six weeks ago, I don't mind it – his apple pie with cinnamon whip cream is a memory much preferred than the memories that haunt my dreams.

It's after the dinner rush and my break that one of my few friends comes in, hugging Sue before sitting down at one of my tables. Victoria is a pretty Irish girl with skin the color of cream and shiny red hair that she keeps meticulously straight. Her boyfriend, who is usually only a few adoring steps behind her, is a lean rail of a man and, naturally, one of the Huskies' best kickers.

"Bella!"

I stop at their table and rest my weight on one leg. "Hey, Vicki. John."

"It's _James_," he says with a grin.

"And you're still an Apostle," I tell him.

Victoria leans forward on her elbows. "So, what are the specials?"

I raise a brow. "We have a delicious _what-do-you-need_ soup with a half _if-it's-a-party-I'm-not-going _sandwich," I say dryly.

She pouts and James barks out a laugh. "I told you, babe."

"Shut up!" Victoria mutters, before turning to me, making her hazel eyes as large as possible. "Come on, Bella. You never do anything fun!"

"I beg to differ. I did something fun today," I tell her.

She rolls her eyes. "And while I understand that conning Tyler, that poor, stupid soul, is fun for _you_, I don't understand why you can't have fun with other people."

I fidget with the tie of my apron, smoothing out the kink in the fabric. "I have no interest in watching people get drunk. I'd rather watch grass grow. And for the record, there is no conning involved. He pays, I pass, fair and square."

Victoria waves her hand. "It's not even a frat party," she pleads. "It's just a house party on the west side of campus. One of James' teammate's roommate is throwing it."

"I see," I say slowly. "No. I'm not going. Now, can I get you anything? Soda? Kick out the door?"

Victoria sighs as James orders a double bacon cheeseburger, much to the delight of Sue, who was eavesdropping on our conversation. She follows me behind the counter and waits until after I've given the order to Bill, the diner cook, to speak up.

"Your friend is right, you know," she comments. "You never do anything for fun. It's always class and work and taking those tests for you. Bella, you look exhausted."

I sigh, looking away. I didn't know how to convey that it just wasn't _me_, that it wasn't part of my personality to go out and party. I was perfectly fine reading and learning in college and taking those tests. In a roundabout way, I liked having the responsibility of my tuition on my shoulders – even if I didn't like _why_ it was my responsibility.

When I was fifteen, my father was in a horrible construction accident that left him without a leg and without any job prospects. I was already a senior in high school at the time, having skipped three grades because of my eidetic memory, and I took on the blunt cost of bills in Seattle; Dad's workmen's compensation only went so far and when that ran out, government disability helped even less. By the time I graduated and started college, working full time or part time was second nature.

Bill doesn't bother ringing the silver counter bell when he slides James' plate to me over the half-wall. Sue is yammering reasons why I should take a real break, a vacation or something, and follows be to Victoria's table.

I glance at both my boss and my friend as I place James' plate in front of him. I heave a deep sigh. "I'll think about it."

"Great!" Victoria sings, rattling off the address while a smug Sue wanders away. "It's at nine. You're off then, right?"

"Yep."

"You won't regret this!" She calls after me when I move away to tend to my other tables.

I silently wonder if maybe the party will make me tired enough to sleep and instantly know that _nothing_ makes me tired enough except for my _light and 'night_ routine.

My shift ends at eight and I don't waste time heading to the dorm to take a very belated shower. I wasn't crazy about the whole communal showers deal that most dorms had and I especially didn't like taking a shower with Dollar Store flip flops to avoid a nasty case of foot fungus.

The shower I take is longer than most as I spend time shaving and washing my hair twice, purposefully wanting to arrive at this party late in the hopes that I could come back to my dorm and sleep. I towel off and cover myself with a fluffy robe, wrapping the towel around my head and slinking back into my room.

I frown as I close the door, noticing my window open and the cool chill of autumn in the air. I could have sworn I'd closed the window last night after taking that last puff. I could have sworn I _locked_ it.

Shaking my head, I close and lock the window, pulling the curtains tight around the pane – I must have been _really_ high last night, higher than I'd previously thought because I truly don't forget important things like that.

I dress quickly, pulling on black skinny jeans with little white unicorns printed on them and a flowing white baby doll shirt that visually gave me curves where I lacked them. I throw on a cropped white-wash denim jacket, pull on a bright green pair of flats and place an sparkly owl amulet around my neck. I leave my hair to dry in dark waves, running my fingers through the length of it as I lock my room door.

Being the daughter of an ex-Seal, I was careful walking through the dark campus, sticking to the brighter sidewalks even though it took longer.

It isn't until I'm almost a block away from the very _loud_ party that I feel a rush of paranoia settle over me.

I expected to be paranoid when I was high and was even a little paranoid this morning while the high wore off.

But I wasn't high now.

And I shouldn't feel paranoid.

I look over my shoulder, stopping in the middle of sidewalk, noticing it empty – void of everything except the pulsing of dub-step music coming from the party.

Nobody is watching me.

But even as I continue towards the party, stepping on a red plastic cup as I cross the threshold, I can't shake that feeling of being watched.

Because that feeling?

That paranoia that comes without a high?

I've felt it before, in my dreams.

And nothing good ever, _ever_ comes from that.

* * *

**A/N: Fast update ;) You guys, I'm so shocked by the very quick response this story has gotten so….HELLO new readers, followers and reviewers alike. There's quite a few of you! For the record, chapters will be about this length, roughly 5 pages on Word, which is more manageable given my own college schedule.**

**As a note, eidetic (eye-dead-tick) memory is literally near-recall of anything seen, written or heard.**

**Now for reviews!**

**james3142 – Welcome, love!**

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**TwilightVirtuosa – I aim to please! Edge-of-your-seat is a huge, huge compliment!**

**Kimmie41 – Yes, lots and lots of questions, most of which will be answered later. But for the breakdown, Edward is about 500. He did lose his mate and searched for her for 260 years. His heart knew she had been born – because of vampire mating mechanics – and has beat once per minute since then.**

**sujari6 – Thank you ;)**

**ngosa95 – I kind of loved the beginning, too. It came to me in a dream – literally!**

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**Dinotopian – My stories love you!**

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**Headinthecloudsss – Yes! The polls were a huge help! Thank you so much for voting in them! As for posting, I'm hoping for once a week – twice if we're lucky!**

**Valentine Rain – Edward is around 500, give or take. I haven't really decided yet lol**

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**Debslmac - :D**

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**Kaygou – Yes! Vampires in this story are both made and born – more on that later!**

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**mariga79 – Phew…I don't know if I could do a O/S lol**

**Guest 2 – You didn't sign in but I'm glad you enjoyed it!**

**YesMyRealNameIsBella – Have you squealed yet? Lol I have!**

**possessed88 – Unique is the goal! I hope I stay that way! :D**

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**Midnight Angels Say GoodNight – How was this chapter? Is it still promising?**

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**Guest 1 – I'm glad you enjoyed it!**

**mamacat20 – Ahh, the little French girl. Did she have a name? We'll call her Isabelle for now….as for whether or not he finds out? Time will tell!**

**Mireads – Two verys? I'm double thrilled!**

**Twilight Rocker 12 – So many adjectives! Have any weird Kiwi desserts?**

**And super special shout out to both a new reviewer _and _ the first review of the last chapter, Jmcfall – Welcome! I hope you keep reading!**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it!**

**~cupcakeriot**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Two**

_**Isabella Swan**_

"James! I told you she would come!" Victoria yells over the music when she sees me coming her way. I'm trying to avoid as many sweaty, drunk bodies as possible as I move closer to the kitchen where a keg and assortment of drinks are set up. Victoria and James seem to be in the middle of refilling their drinks.

He glances up at me, pulling a face. "Fuck. I knew I shouldn't have made that bet," he says to nobody in particular.

Victoria simply holds her hand and James digs up a crumpled ten from his pocket. I cross my arms, rolling my eyes. "Really? You're betting on me now?"

"And you haven't let me down," Victoria grins.

"You've let me down," James tells me, throwing his arm over Victoria's bare shoulders.

"Really? I seem to remember passing a certain philosophy exam for you last year."

James raises his brows, sipping what I assume is beer. "I was your first customer," he says. "I'm half the reason your business is so good. You have to be nice to me."

I snort. "Yes, thank you for giving my number to all your idiot friends." James may have been my first _customer_ but, really, he only knew about me through Victoria; if anyone was responsible for my weekly dealings with the less-than-gifted students at UDub, it was her.

"That's not very nice," he says.

Victoria giggles. "Are you sure you guys aren't related?"

This was a running joke, given how often James and I bickered, even though we were both proud only children. I considered James a friend no matter how much he got on my nerves.

"Oh, Bella! I wanted to introduce you to someone!" Victoria says, stealing James' red cup.

"No," I whine, shaking my head. God, I should have known she had something like this up her sleeve. "I know you mean well, but please, no."

"You don't even know who he is!"

"And I don't _want_ to," I respond, stilling as I hear a throat clear behind me. I suppress a groan, just knowing that whoever Victoria wanted to fix me up with was standing right behind me, likely having heard that last exchange.

Victoria raises her brows twice at me and smiles brightly. "Paul, this is Bella. Bella, this is-"

"Wait. Paul? Like Pauly D?"

James snorts his beer, choking on it, and Victoria bites her lips to stop the laughter. "I've never been to Jersey Shore," Paul says from behind me. "And I happen to like Paul better than Pauly. I mean, I don't want a cracker, you know?"

I quirk a brow at him as I turn around, taking in his massive build and deeply tanned skin – and I recognized him as one of the Huskies' linebackers. He was handsome in an obvious way but I felt no attraction to him.

To be honest, I hadn't ever felt attracted to anyone. For one reason or another, every guy I'd ever seen fell short in one way or another. I couldn't help but feel like I was comparing the men in reality to ones that simply don't exist outside of my dreamscape.

I sigh, forcing a smile to bloom on my face, and nod at him. "Hey. Look, I'm sorry that _Victoria_-"

"Don't bring me into this!" she says from behind me.

"- made you waste your time like this," I continue, rolling my eyes at the interruption. "But I'm not interested in dating right now."

Paul shrugs with good nature. "That's fine. Me either. But," he whispers, looking around at the drunken people around us. "It's nice to meet at least one sober person at this party. It wouldn't hurt to hang out, would it?"

I'm careful not to look him directly in the eyes as I shrug. "Sure, why not?"

And that is how Paul and I spend the next hour; chatting with a progressively drunk Victoria and James and watching as the rest of the party separates into hook-ups and throw ups. Though Paul politely keeps his distance and acts like a complete gentleman, the feel of his eyes on me sends my stomach into a fit of apprehension and I trust him less and less as the night passes into early morning.

By the time people are passing out on the beat up couches in the living room, it's almost two and I'm fighting yawns. I stand, stretching. "Well, Paul, it's late and I've got to go…"

Paul jumps up. "Let me walk you back to your dorm," he says. "It's late and I wouldn't feel right letting you walk home alone."

I squint a little at him but have no real reason to turn him down; it's actually a little comforting to have someone watching over me, even if his offer only makes warning signals go off in my head. I nod. "Sure."

Paul is the ideal escort. He walks closer to the street, putting me in the middle of the sidewalk, and keeps us on the brighter roads. The walk is silent until we reach the dorms where he stops, putting his hands in his pockets. "Which one are you?"

I gesture to my building. "Thanks for walking me back-"

I'm not sure how I missed it, but Paul suddenly throws the full weight of his body against mine, pressing me back into one of the larger trees that are around my building. He's attached his lips to mine, his beefy hand tight on my neck and I realize, again, how much larger he is than me; I'm a twig compared to his strength.

That realization doesn't stop me from screaming into his forceful kiss or clawing at his hands, his face. I try to bring my knee up to his groin, thinking if I can just get him off me for a _second_, I can get away. When my knee fails to connect, I resort to biting at the lips kissing me, digging my nails into the hands holding me in place; I bite down hard enough to taste blood in my mouth.

"You bitch," Paul sneers, pulling away, spitting onto the grass. His hand is still harsh on my neck and I just know I'll have bruises when I wake up. Paul opens his mouth to say something else but he's cut off.

A deep, rumbling growl fills the cool air – it's downright animalistic and so _close_ that chills run up my spine. Paul's face turns ashen as he looks around and I take the slight slack of his hand on my throat as an opportunity to get the hell out of dodge, ducking under his arm and running as fast as I can. The growling seems to grow louder and I hear Paul yell out but I don't turn around.

Serves him right to be eaten by some wild animal.

I slam the door of the dorm closed, panting, leaning my hands on my knees. The lobby is, thankfully, empty – nobody to witness my freak-out. I work on calming myself on the elevator, taking the entire six-floor ride to quiet my breathing. Before I get to my room, I detour to the bathroom, splashing water on my face and rinsing Paul's blood off my mouth.

My face is visibly more pale than usual and my eyes are wide, unblinking. As a child, Mom always told me how I had _Elizabeth Taylor's_ _eyes_ – the deep, dark blue color of my eyes were almost violet in certain lights. I wasn't sure if it was the color or _me_ that threw people, though, because for as long as I can remember, people have always reacted strangely to direct eye contact from me.

Some stuttered.

Some suddenly seemed mindless.

Some just agreed with whatever I said.

I didn't understand it and, honestly, it freaked me out. Now, it was just habit to avoid direct contact, no matter who I was talking to – even myself.

I avert my eyes to my hair, pushing the long, almost black strands out of my face, exposing the widow's peak hairline I got from Mom. I liked my hair most in the sunlight, where little tints of red were obvious, just like hers. In the harsh lights of the dorm bathroom, I looked like a washed out black-and-white photograph; pale skin, dark hair, bold brows, dark eyes with only a little hint of pink on the cheekbones and too-full, nearly puffy lips.

My figure was no better – gray in the sense that it was easy to look over. I'm a little too tall, a little too willowy – _waifish like_ _Twiggy or Audrey Hepburn_, Mom used to tell me. And while I liked that my metabolism obviously had no issues digesting large quantities of food, I would have liked to see more than a handful of flesh on my chest or a little padding on my hips, so that my hipbones weren't so obvious under tightly stretched skin.

I scowl, turning off the cold tap water and shaking drops of water from my hands. My lips look swollen and abused for the first time in my life and I _hate_ that scum like Paul was my first kiss. I stomp to my room, digging my key out of my pocket, thinking that I should have just taken the risk and walked myself home.

And thank God for that wild animal running around campus, saving girls like me.

I open the door, sighing, wanting nothing more than to take a hit from my white and yellow swirled pipe and go to sleep, when the crisp chill of fresh, outside air hits my face.

My window, open again.

Even though I _know – I remember –_ locking it.

The curtains are fluttering around the open window, even though I have perfect recall of pulling them tight around the glass.

My spine tingles, my back straight, as I slowly examine my room from the doorway. There are no hidden corners, as the door opens directly into the ten by ten space and the mirror on the wall beside the window shows the perfect view of the corner shadowed by the open door.

My room is empty.

But the window is open.

Nothing appears to be missing, but I still don't flick the lights on; instead, I slowly back out the few steps I'd taken inside and close the door quietly, making sure to lock it again.

I go back down to the lobby, rooting around behind the desk until I find the correct form and, in under five minutes, I put the _Request for New Room_ form in the correct bin. I'm careful as I step out of my dormitory, my jaw tight – it was just too _weird_ for the window to be open twice on the same day and I was positive I'd locked it both times. I knew, for sure, I wouldn't be sleeping at the dorms until I got a new room, though, and I definitely wouldn't be going back to get my things until daylight.

Thankfully, Dad only lives a few blocks south of campus and I arrive at my old home just before three, getting the key from the little frog beside the planter of dead ferns.

The television washes the walls in flickering blue lights and Dad's trusty recliner creaks when I close and lock the door behind me, dropping the spare key into the bowl beside the door nook.

"Bella?" Dad calls groggily from the living room.

I sigh. I wish he wouldn't sleep down here but Dad had a hard time sleeping in the bed he shared with Mom now that she's gone. He preferred the crick in his neck to _those_ particular memories.

"Hey, Dad," I say, slipping into the room and flopping down on the worn couch, pulling my knees up to my chest.

Dad had maintained his Seal physicality for as long as he could after the accident, but a few years of not being able to properly work out had taken a toll on him; he now looked older than I can ever remember him being and his muscles, while retaining their mass, had softened. There was near-constant stubble on his cheeks and his hair was thinning, not that anyone could tell since he _always_ had on some baseball hat – partially because he just liked them and partially to hide the nasty scar on the left side of his skull that came as an unwelcome reminder to the accident that cost his leg. He raises a dark, bushy brow at me, scrubbing his face with the palm of his hand. "What are you doing here, kiddo?"

I shrug, yawning.

The last thing I wanted to do was tell Dad about the window or what happened with Paul; he might be stuck in a wheelchair, but Dad _did_ have extensive military training and more than a few guns that he knew how to use.

"Just wanted to get away for a while," I lie.

Dad should have been a detective, because he grunts in a sarcastic way, reading the lie as it falls from my mouth. "On a Thursday? Right, Bella."

"I missed my old bed," I try again.

That wasn't a lie, either. The nightmares had started when I was sixteen, right when I started college; I half-believed that I only got bad sleep because of the lumpy beds in the dorms.

Dad grunts again, not bothering to call me out, and looks at the infomercial playing on the television. "Can you believe people buy that useless crap?"

I laugh a bit. "I do. People are always buying stuff they don't need."

Like someone to take their tests for them.

Not that I was complaining.

I yawn again and Dad smiles gently at me. "See you in the morning, kid."

I stand, leaning down to his recliner to hug him. "I'll make French toast," I promise, kissing his cheek.

"You better!"

My childhood room is a few feet bigger than my dorm room, with two bookshelves pushed against the short, far wall and my twin mattress taking up nearly half of the room. It's still painted the periwinkle purple color I picked out with Mom when I was six but the comforter had been replaced with a plain black version. I'm careful to avoid stubbing my toe on my dresser, just like I did every time I came into the room as a teenager. I could never bear to part with the hunk of wood because Mom had picked it out and painted it for me right before her diagnosis.

While Dad was still part of the Navy and I was about seven, Mom was diagnosed with a rare ovarian cancer; she didn't tell anyone about it until it was too late to save her. She passed before I turned eight. And then, Dad was an ex-Seal and working in construction and then he got hurt.

Sometimes, I wonder if I'm not like Mom in that way – not telling the right people something important until it's too late to do anything about it.

I hadn't told anyone about the nightmares.

And, as I settle into a very sober, non-high sleep, I just know the nightmare is going to be more intense than usual.

Because sleeping without a high?

I hadn't done that for three years.

And that thing that happened with Paul?

It's shaken me up enough to rattle me in my dreams.

* * *

**A/N: Another fast update. Gah, what a creeper that Paul is! I could throttle him myself. Thank God there's a wild animal on campus!**

**Reviews!**

**vampyregirl86 – Sheldon _and_ the very hot Dr. Reid on Criminal Minds lol**

**dinotopian – She's kind of pure lol In a literal sense, of course.**

**Edward's spouse – Glad you liked it!**

**Cbmorefie – Thank you!**

**B – I pulled a little bit of vampire lore from Anne Rice and the Sookieverse and Google so…there will be a mix-match of a lot of different qualities.**

**LunaDiSangue85 – Yep. You nailed Edward lol He _is_ going to be a little bit of a stalker.**

**james3142 – I'm thrilled you understand Bella's point of view! Lol She should charge more!**

**Maysnrs – You've got that right. Who needs hot sauce? Just give me Possesiveward!**

**scareDcat – She is pretty ingenious, huh? Lol**

**debslmac - :D**

**princessnerra – I wonder what the first meeting will be like, too lol**

**brittany86 – This Bella really is one of a kind. I tried to make her as…unique as possible!**

**Cullen freak8888 – No, no don't feel bad! I'm in the same boat! Lucky to get time to write and post!**

**Tiffyboocullenjonas – Glad you loved it!**

**Jmcfall – After my own heart! Chocolate _is_ addictive!**

**Mystik Angel 85 – Bella does remember something, but that's all I'm saying!**

**ch0c0lat3 – I'm thrilled you enjoy it so much!**

**Welcome2MyWorldxoxo – Ta da! More!**

**mamacat20 – Ohh, good question. A tracker? Edward? Hmmmm…**

**BMSCullen – Oh yes! This Bella doesn't take anyone's shit! Lol**

**Maggiejoma – I'm glad you got it! I wanted this Bella to be very modern and strong and relatable like that! :D**

**Valentine Rain – Ah, his physical age? He looks to be about 24.**

**Headinthecloudsss – Ohh, you're going to be another predictor, aren't you? Lol**

**Michangelina – Glad you friggin' love it! Lol**

**sujari6 – Mmmm yes to the demons, no to the vampire-ish trait that is eidetic memory. Close, but no cigar lol**

**Lilypad10 – Lots of questions that I can't answer at the moment lol Stay tuned!**

**Kaygou – Yeah, I thought Victoria and James could use a break lol**

**Twilight Rocker 12 – Homemade icecream? I'm so jealous! Lol And nope, Bella isn't a supernatural anything. That I know of, of course lol**

**And super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, Krystalwinds1990 – I wouldn't be so sure about who is watching Bella! ;)**

**Alright, I'm off to shower, eat dinner and study!**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

_**Isabella Swan**_

I sit up in bed, gasping – trying to take in air faster than my body can process it. I feel too warm even with the comforter kicked off my body. Judging by the light from the window, it's early in the morning and I know that Dad will be up soon. But I have time to sit in my semi-dark room and wallow with the terrors of my dream.

Wiping the sweat from my brow, I force my eyes to be open – because maybe then the nightmare will _feel_ less real. The growling from last night certainly didn't help me because it sounded so familiar.

It _was_ familiar, just like the nightmare is always, _always_ the same. First there is the counting down, the happy voices going from five to three, never making it further. And then, the loud explosion and the thundering growls. Then pain – so much searing pain, the feeling of being burned alive, the feeling of smoke choking my lungs. And right as I can feel myself fading – dying – in the nightmare, the growling is close to my ear.

Until last night, I'd always assumed the growling was all the same; but now, I knew the difference. Last night, the growling had clearly been outraged.

In my dreams, the final growl was filled with sorrow.

Not wanting to waste anymore time thinking about it – and knowing that I have my Friday morning class in a few hours – I swing my legs off my bed, my feet touching the chilled hardwood floors. Instantly, my head snaps to the window and I squint at the secure locks, nodding to myself.

The fuzzy yellow light that the bathroom bulb gives off doesn't do the heavy bruising on my neck any favors. I gently trail my fingers over the purplish outline of a meaty palm that presses into my trachea and sigh, turning away from the mirror and nearly marching back to my old bedroom – I_ know _I have an old turtleneck hidden somewhere in my closet and it would have to do until I got back to the dorm.

Slipping the shirt on and dragging my long hair out of the back, I shudder, thinking about how Dad would react if he saw those bruises. Thinking about his hypothetical reaction reminded me that I needed to report Paul to campus security as soon as possible after my Psychology Studies class.

Dad is already up – of course – and reading the morning paper by the time I get downstairs. Just like the old days, I fix him a cup of black coffee and turn to the fridge, getting all the necessary ingredients out.

"Thanks, kiddo," he says after his first sip.

I smile at him, comfortable in the routine that we had adopted since my days in high school. I quickly put together the French toast and join him at the table; we eat in a cozy silence after Dad passes me the morning comics. After I clean up the kitchen and Dad is standing with the assistance of a walker, as he absolutely refused to be stuck in a wheelchair, I put on my shoes and give him a hug. "Love you, Dad."

"Love you, too, kiddo. You still coming for Sunday dinner?"

I nod. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Sunday dinner was something Mom had invented when I was a kid and Dad was still in the Navy. He would call in every Sunday night, wherever he was in the world, and "eat" dinner with us. Even after she passed and I went to stay with an Aunt for a while until Dad came home, we didn't miss it – rain or shine, that dinner would always be an honored family event.

Dad sends me off with a kiss on the cheek.

I guess I might have thought the news about what Paul _tried_ to do to me would have spread in the eight hours since it happened because I was almost shocked when I didn't see any commotion on campus. Everything was normal, even the big tree Paul pushed me against.

Not a thing was out of place, not even a leaf.

I frown and hurry into the building, recognizing that weather in Washington had taken a turn for the cold faster this October.

The guy working at the dorm lobby flags me down, pushing glasses up his nose. "We got you a new room," he says. "Fifth floor, right below yours. Here's the key. Bring back the other one soon, okay?"

I nod, taking the key from him, and edit my plan to accommodate changing rooms before my shower. I'm cautious when I open up the door to my room on the sixth floor but this time, the window is closed. Still, I don't linger and I bag up all my clothes and books and lock the door behind me before dropping my stuff into my new room. It doesn't take long for everything to be organized as I really didn't have many – or any – personal belongings in my dorm.

As soon as I can, I hurry to take a quick shower, pleased that the bathrooms on this floor aren't co-ed. Even luckier, I seem to have the bathroom to myself at this time in the morning and the hallway is clear when I go back to my room.

My eyes are immediately on the _closed and locked_ window as I shut the door behind me and I sigh with a small smile.

Change is good.

I pull on a pair of dual-tone taupe and beige floral print skinny jeans and a loose, oversized white sweater and then tuck the hem of my jeans into my trusty tan Oxford boots, tossing a knitted teal scarf around my neck. Glad that I seem to be blessed with long hair that refuses to tangle, I style my hair into a messy side-fishtail braid that will hopefully contain the curls for the day. A slick of beeswax chap-stick later and I'm grabbing my canvas messenger bag and heading out the door with just enough time to drop off my old room keys and get to class in the science building.

Or, so I thought.

Not a minute after I'm out of my dorm do I hear my name being called by Victoria, who is being trailed by James. Her smile is huge as she greets me. "There you are!"

I frown. "Hey. Look, I've got to get to class-"

"We'll walk with you," she says, moving to clutch James' hand with her own. "So, tell me about last night."

I ignore the wink she sends in my direction and start walking.

"Babe, maybe there's nothing to tell," James says.

Victoria laughs and moves into step beside me. "I saw the way Paul was looking at you," she tells me with a confident nod. "_Of course_ something happened."

My grip on my messenger bag tightens and I nod. "Something happened," I confirm, trying to decide if I should tell them the truth or just save that for campus security.

"Oh! I knew it! When are you seeing him again?"

"Hopefully never," I mutter, closing my eyes when I do because I just _know_ she heard it. I guess I would be telling the truth this morning.

"What do you mean?"

I sigh harshly through my nose and look at her through the side of my eyes. "Paul was a bit too eager. And, frankly, uncaring if I wanted to participate in his endeavors or not."

James' brows raise and his lips thin out. "Did he force himself-"

"Tried," I correct him absently, watching as Victoria's face loses it's typical rosy flush.

"Oh, my God," she says softly. "Are you okay, Bella?"

I touch the scarf that covers the bruises and nod. "Some wild animal scared him off. I went to my Dad's for the night."

No need to tell them that the real reason I slept at home was because of the window incidents.

That was just too weird to explain.

"Did you report that douche?" James asks, clearly upset.

"I will after class," I say as the science building comes into view.

"Bella-"

"After class," I promise and Victoria nods, looking like she could cry. I hurry up the steps, glancing back to see James hugging his girlfriend and looking beyond pissed – at Paul, at the world, at the fact that Victoria was crying.

I think about how lucky I am to have them as friends as I enter the toasty warmth of my classroom.

When I entered college, I was sure of my direction – I wanted to do research for mental illnesses and treatments. But, as I took more and more courses, my plan changed to becoming a psychologist myself - it was the best of both worlds in that I could see the disorders up close and personal _and_ I could treat them. I truly enjoyed learning and the career I'd slated for myself promised a continuation of learning.

My instructor, Professor Peabody, was an eclectic woman with a cliché head of blue old-lady hair and round glasses that are too big for her face. She has stacks of books scattered around the small lecture room, some literally teetering on the edges of desks and nobody ever moves the piles – she claims that she has an order to the chaos. Personally, I think maybe she was having a touch of old-age memory loss half the time, but she was a good teacher and I respected her for that.

Right now, Professor Peabody is talking to a new student – which was odd given the point in the semester. The time to drop classes was two weeks ago and usually people didn't come into a class when mid-terms were right around the corner. But, I conceded, that maybe this guy was someone who didn't actually _go_ to many of his classes – or, at least, this class.

From the back of the room, I could tell that he is quite tall and lean – if I was in an English class, I would use the word _lanky_ to describe him – and even this far back, I can tell that his face is very angular.

I found it a bit odd that, while I typically didn't notice guys, I noticed _him_ immediately. I told myself it was because he's talking to the Professor.

I find a seat in the back, near a pile of books, and settle into the thinning cushion, waiting for class to start. My feet end up on the seat beside me by the time Professor Peabody shoos off the new student and claps her hands several times to begin the class.

As soon as she starts in with new terminology, I find myself absorbed like I usually am – I can feel myself remembering everything she says and I don't bother to take notes like the rest of my classmates. Professor Peabody flitters from subject to subject but I don't have any trouble keeping up.

And neither does the new student.

I hadn't noticed that he chose to sit on my other side, until he shifted in his seat, his knee bumping into my chair.

I glance up sharply at him, a glare already forming, and stop short.

I had never, ever seen anyone as singularly attractive.

Even sitting, he was tall – and it wasn't because his legs are short, either. I'd judged him to be about James' height but he clearly had more than a few inches to hold over my friend. All of his limbs, including his fingers, were long and elegant. But it wasn't just being tall and lean; he clearly had a lot of definition in his muscles and much more control over his body than most guys. He sat still – almost _too_ still – and straight, but I could tell that his muscles were coiled and tight.

And I just knew that he didn't bump my chair on _accident_.

If I hadn't figured it out myself, the small mischievous – and almost sheepish - smile on his full, pale lips would have given it away. I had been right in thinking his features were angular – but they were also stunningly symmetrical, simply rigid planes that made up a sharply cut jaw and straight nose. His dark hair, on the other hand, was made of slight waves and barely-there-curls and was perhaps a little too long and fell into eyes I'd never seen before.

Even with the tips of the dark strands blocking the full effect of the color, the bright green shade – almost a hue that fell between mint and fresh celery – made me breathless.

Literally.

I force myself to breath when I notice dark spots dancing in front of my vision and look away, beating myself up for letting some guy – though he was clearly a man – distract me to that degree.

I hear him hum beside me.

He sounds far too pleased.

I cross my arms and glare at the front of the room, where Professor Peabody is looking through a stack of books, for the remainder of class. I don't let my eyes stray no matter how much I want to turn and study the planes of his face again.

I especially don't turn to look at him when his knee bumps my chair again.

I won't give him – or myself – the satisfaction.

As soon as Professor Peabody dismisses the class, I stand and head out the door.

And just as I reach the hallway, a cool hand on my elbow stops me – and I shiver because that hand? It feels so completely _right_ and _good_.

My entire body freezes and then kind of _melts_ into the hand that leads me across the hall, towards a set of upholstered benches; my eyes are locked on a pair of very expensive shoes. I vaguely want to rip my elbow from his hand, but I can't bring myself to do so.

Once he has maneuvered us to be sitting side by side, he releases my elbow and finally feel like I have control over my body.

I jerk away from him and turn the full force of my glare on his minty eyes, feeling anger rise in me.

He smiles, not showing his teeth, and looks entirely too attractive. "You look so different," he murmurs, his eyes traveling over me. "But so much the same, too."

I feel my brows raise and I stand up. "I'm sorry, do I _know_ you?" I bite out, gripping the strap of my messenger bag. I'd just about had it – just about reached my quota for the week – of idiot guys and this guy was clearly no exception.

His face falls and he looks disappointed – and I feel bad for a second, until he doesn't answer me.

"Right, well, if that's all you had to say, I'm late for work," I lie.

And then, he smiles again. "I'm Edward," he says. He looks down for a second, seemingly gathering his wits, and then the bright color of his eyes assault me again. "I heard you take tests."

My stomach drops and my anger evaporates.

I can't help but feel a little let down and I didn't know why.

Instead of lingering on my own unexplainable disappointment, I nod. "Depends on the test, but yeah."

"Great," Edward smiles. "I have a chemistry exam that I need assistance with."

I find myself remembering the date and location of his test and agreeing on a price absentmindedly.

Because that smile that didn't show any teeth?

It was completely disarming.

* * *

**A/N: Another quick update. I. Am. On. A. Roll.**

**Reviews!**

**CdrIvanova – An update on the day you started! Lucky you! ;)**

**TwilightVirtuosa – Hi! I did take a peak at your stories and I love the potential I see there! But they need a lot of formatting editing – if you need a temporary beta until you find a more permanent one, shoot me a PM. I'd be happy to help!**

**B – Thank you! I love hearing that I'm unique. Huge compliment!**

**scareDcat – And it's going to get even better!**

**ngosa95 – They met! Next chapter coming soon!**

**Edward's spouse – For now, I'll let you decide if it was an animal ;)**

**Headinthecloudsss – I'll see about putting the date in the next chapter!**

**Blacklight1798 – Glad you love it!**

**lovestwilight2010 – Glad you loved it, too!**

**Debslmac – :D**

**mamacat20 – I don't feel bad for Paul! Lol**

**maysnrs – Hey, hey! As long as those patients keep their nurse, I'm good lol**

**SrslyGiGi – You read and loved it?! Lol Yay!**

**Maggiejoma – You're totally right! Paul is getting what he deserves!**

**cullen freak8888 – You'll find time, I'm sure. Things settle down pretty quick!**

**Welcome2MyWorldxoxo – Should Edward keep his head, or something? Lol**

**Cbmorefie – No, love lol You're not disturbing for thinking that!**

**Zozotheterrible – Also part of the ThrottlePaulClub, I see :p**

**Kimmie41 – Eh, for Bella's fashion, I'm not too concerned. Aside from the fact that she's a poor college student, she's also kind of a hipster. Not gonna lie, I typically dress like she does on a regular basis ;)**

**james3142 – Ah, the vote on Facebook made me go waifish! I wanted to do curvy, but the day that voting was happening, waifish won hands down lol**

**Lilypad10 – Edward is just a creeper. A white knight creeper lol**

**Dinotopian – You made me laugh! Their meeting was more of a meet-wtf than a meet-cute or a meet-scream, I think. I don't know, you tell me lol**

**TwiSagaLover – Glad you loved it!**

**Kaygou – very freaky!**

**YesMyRealNameIsBella – Actually, I didn't mention Bella being either curvy or waifish in her former life. I only mentioned her dress. And I totally agree with you _but_ I honored the Facebook poll!**

**sujari6 – "Nasty accident" is right lol**

**tiffyboocullenjonas – Glad you loved it!**

**DoubleFate – The stalkerness is kind of adorable lol**

**Twilight Rocker 12 – lol Pauly D is a DJ on a tv show in the states :p He's also a douche, so I guess you're right!**

**vampyregirl86 – Ohh, so you're like the girl version of Edward? A sleep-watcher!**

**BMSCullen – He is slacking! Lol**

**Michangelina – Love that you're friggin' loving it!**

**And super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, Pumpkinmykitty – I'm glad I made you hungry! Lol**

**Alright, off to have dinner and watch X-Factor. I'm hopelessly addicted to Simon!**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

_**Isabella Swan**_

"When was the last time you saw Paul Russo?"

I quirk one brow at the balding Rent-A-Cop that passes as campus security. "I'm sorry?"

"He's been reported as missing," the cop replies, wiping the sweat from his upper lip with the back of his hand. "When you came in, we assumed you had information on his whereabouts."

Except, the way he says it, it sounds like he's accusing _me_ of something.

For some reason that is simply beyond me, I thought it would be a good idea to tell campus security about what happened with Paul. It _seemed_ like the right thing to do, until the man masquerading as a cop decided that I should be the guilty party, since Paul had apparently gone missing sometime between last night and today.

I cross my arms and sigh at him. "Look, the only reason I came up here was to report _Paul_ attacking _me_, not the other way around."

The cop frowns. "He attacked you? When did this happen?"

"Last night. Or, well, early this morning. Around two."

"I see."

When he doesn't say anything else, I tug at the scarf around my neck. "Do you need proof? He left _this_ on me," I say sweetly, gesturing to the deep bruises.

The cop's face pales at bit as he examines the finger-shaped bruising that curled around my throat. "And, uhm, that was the last time you saw Paul?"

I nod, winding the scarf around my neck again. I fleetingly wonder if I should mention the wild animal, but decide against it.

Maybe Paul _should_ be mauled by a rabid animal.

Again, served him right.

The wanna-be cop jots down something in his notebook, nodding to himself the entire time. "Thanks for coming in, Miss. When we find Paul, we'll get your…incident sorted out."

I refrain from snorting at his delicate wording.

I mean, it _happened to me._

Pretty sure I could handle the nitty gritty adjectives.

I leave without another word, suddenly glad to have the scarf when the biting chill in the air nips at my nose. Truly, I love the fall and winter seasons. But after a warm summer by Washington standards, the sudden cold that literally came out of _nowhere_ was a bit of a shock for the system to adjust to. I remind myself to pick up my heavy winter gear from Dad's this Sunday.

Walking towards the diner – early in the hopes of picking up better tips from the lunch rush – I spot a curvy blond girl dressed in nothing but red pumps and a printed shirt-dress and a wave of envy falls over me. Not for her clothes – even though they were much more expensive than I could ever afford – but for her body.

My own body was too thin, no matter how much I ate. _Waifish,_ Mom had said and she'd made it sound like a good thing. I _guess_ by the standards of beauty for today, it was a good thing – but I wanted full hips and breasts, not the lean, tender masses on my chest or the faint curve of my hips. Honestly, if I didn't want to wear a bra, I didn't have to.

To be clear, I didn't hate my body.

I just hated being _cold_ all the time.

The blond girl enters the diner before I do and I feel my brows reach my hairline – because girls who look like that just don't slum it at the campus' hang-out diner. Against my will, my mind darts to Edward and I wonder if she's meeting him here.

But that's ridiculous.

He'd never even been to the diner – and I would know because I've been working here since I was a freshman.

And why would it matter to me _if_ the blond girl was meeting him here?

He was just a client of sorts.

Nothing to me personally.

Sue greets me enthusiastically when I come in. "Darling girl! You're early! And just on time for the lunch shift," she winks.

I smile faintly at her. "Actually, it's probably good that I'm here now. I need to drop my morning shift tomorrow."

"Short notice," she comments, picking up a plate from Bill.

Bill grunts, agreeing.

I tie on my apron and push the loose hairs off my face. "I know. The offer just came up," I say, remembering that Edward's test was tomorrow morning. I wasn't worried that Sue wouldn't let me off but I hated bringing it up at the last second.

It made me seem flakey.

"No problem, honey," she says, patting my back as she passes behind me with a full tray of grilled cheese and tomato soup. She's walking quickly towards her table, faster than normal now that students from campus are trickling in to get some home-cooking; Sue's diner had everything from milk shakes to comfort food to real down-home country cooking like biscuits and sausage gravy on the breakfast menu. A lot of the kids on campus saw Sue as a surrogate mom while they were away from home and she loved that distinction.

I take on the influx of new customers, several of whom are my classmates, and take orders with a note pad – even though I don't need it. I remember who ordered what but Bill didn't have that kind of memory, so I had taken to short-handing the meal orders for him.

Much to my discomfort, the curvy blond girl was sitting in the middle of my section, in a booth all her own. I might have felt a little guilty for being envious of her body but I shook it off and plastered a smile on my face. "What can I get you?"

And then, the oddest thing.

She simply smiles at me for the longest moment – a familiar smile without teeth.

I don't even think she blinks. She's too still and that smile, while beautiful, is unnerving.

After the too-long moment passes, I clear my throat, tucking my loose hair behind my ears. "Water?" I ask, desperate for some kind of reaction from her. Words. Something, anything.

She blinks, eyes wide, and nods. "Of course," she says, her voice an unintentional purr. "Three, please. And a plate of those delicious looking French fries," she requests.

I jot down the order. "Alright. It'll be right out."

Just as I turn, her exceptionally cool hand catches my wrist gently. "Wait. Could you do me a favor? Could you say French fries in French? I used to remember what they were called but my memory escapes me," she says by way of explanation.

Weird.

But, I don't question it.

"I'm pretty sure it's _Pommes frites_," I tell her with a single nod. I wasn't pretty sure – I was positive. I'd taken three years of advanced French at UDub so far and I was a natural at the language; something about it had always spoken to me and my accent was nearly flawless. Translating French fries was hardly a challenge.

The girl's face lights up and she smiles as widely as she can without showing her probably perfect teeth. "Marvelous. Even the accent…." She trails off and, when she notices me looking at her oddly, she giggles. "I've never heard it so perfectly," she offers.

"Okay," I say slowly, trying to be polite even though she'd started to truly freak me out.

What was it about today that made ridiculously attractive people talk to themselves like loons? Must be something in the air.

By the time her order is up, there's a well built man sitting across from her on the opposite side of the booth. He looks vaguely familiar – very tall, pale skin, dark curly hair, bright green eyes. I realize with a small amount of surprise that he looks like Edward, even though his face wasn't as lean and his over all build was bulkier. A sibling, maybe? What were the odds of those eyes appearing on another person?

"French fries!" He booms childishly, immediately digging into the plate with gusto. "Thanks, babe," he tells the blond. "It's been forever since I had these."

I hear a dull sound, kind of like something being kicked, and the guy jumps a bit, shooting the blond girl a look.

He glances up at me. "By forever, I mean, like, a week. Not a few decades or anything preposterous like that."

"Of course," I answer, feeling my brows furrow. "Well, if that's all for now, I'll be back with your check when you're done."

They nod at me simultaneously and exchange a heavy look that I can't even begin to decipher. As I walk back towards the counter to clean up a soda spill, I can only think about how _odd_ that entire exchange was.

With a wary sigh, I realize the past few days had been rather odd – and what's worse was that I hadn't had the opportunity to _light and 'night_ yesterday or the day before. I was used to being just a little bit high all the time and now that I wasn't, I was sure I didn't like the stark sharpness of the world around me. I resolved to remedy the situation as soon as I got home and had something to eat.

"Hi," a deep voice says from behind me, suddenly.

I jump, the hair on the back of my neck standing up, and turn to face the man who startled me.

Edward is leaning on his elbows on the counter, an impish smile on his face, one thick brow quirked up. His hair looks ruffled from the wind and it's entirely too attractive – it makes it hard to transform my face into a scowl, but somehow I manage.

"What are you doing, sneaking up behind me like some creep?" I demand, my hands fluttering down to flick imaginary lint off my apron. I don't like being surprised and I hate to admit to being unnerved.

And Edward just did both.

His smile gets wider, though he still doesn't show teeth. "I just said hi. It's a standard greeting, I hear."

I huff at him. "Yeah, when you're face-to-face, Mark Chapman. It's a totally different ball game when you _sneak up_ on someone."

"You're working," he points out needlessly.

"Yeah, I am," I tell him, crossing my arms.

Edward's brow's furrow. "Mark Chapman? The guy who shot John Lennon?"

"Yep."

His mouth drops open a little. "I'm not going to _kill_ you," he tells me seriously – and, if I do say so, with a bit of stunned confusion.

I shrug, picking my rag back up and cleaning up the crumbs from the counter; Edward follows me as I move down the length of the counter, even moving the salt shaker for me, which is kind of sweet. "How do _I_ know that?" I ask him.

"Well," he smiles. "You're not a Beatle."

"True," I concede.

"Secondly, I'm not sixty years old," he says, an odd glint of humor in his eyes.

I feel my smile twist into a smirk. "He's not sixty, either. Fifty-seven," I say, eyeing him critically and trying not to be distracted by his broad chest. "You could pass for fifty-seven."

His hand flies up to his heart and he winks. "You wound me."

Behind him, Sue is grinning and fanning her face, gesturing to Edward and I feel an unfamiliar heat take up residence on my face. I look down in the hopes that the flush wasn't observed and speak abruptly, "Anyway, what did you need? Menu?"

Edward looks down, pulling out his wallet. "Actually, I've been sent to pay the bill," he grins, titling his head to the left where the blond girl and curly-haired guy were sitting.

I hadn't noticed until now, but they were watching the exchange between Edward and I with huge smiles and I suddenly realized that I must not be clued in on some joke. It made me extremely uncomfortable, so I turned away and looked at Edward, who handed me far too much money. I shake my head, giving him back half of what he gave me. "This covers it," I tell him.

He nods, leaning closer. "I know. But I felt you deserved a nice tip after dealing with those nuts over there."

Reluctantly, after much prodding from his side and Sue coming by just to tell me to take the money, I pocket the hefty tip. "Thank you."

A single dimple appears on his face when he smiles this time, one side of his mouth pulling up much higher than the other side. "Don't mention it."

I smile faintly in response. "I'll meet you tomorrow morning," I reply.

After Edward leaves with his friends – or his brother and his friend, I guess – I move to continue my shift. Only Victoria's bright personality is standing at the counter, her body practically bouncing in place. For once, James remains at the table and he looks absorbed in whatever he's studying.

Funny. I didn't even see them come in.

"Who was _that?_" Victoria whispers excitedly.

"Customer," I tell her, taking the next order from Bill while Victoria follows me.

"Customers usually don't talk to you for so long," she observes with saucy inflection.

I roll my eyes. "What are you talking about? _You_ pester me all the time."

She waves her hands in front of her. "That's different. I'm not checking you out the _entire_ time," she says.

I frown. "He was hardly checking me out. Technically, I was checking _him_ out, you know, doing my job. Taking his money for the services the diner provided. And besides, I'm sure he just wanted to make sure I would be there for his test tomorrow."

Internally, I wonder why a guy who seemed as smart as Edward needed me to take his test.

Maybe he had test anxiety.

This time, Victoria rolls her eyes. "And the subtext of the entire thing was him wanting to fuck your brains out."

"Girl, watch your mouth!" Sue calls from the counter.

Victoria smiles. "Sorry, Sue!"

"But you're right," Sue replies, looking at me with the kind of secret looks only women her age could pull off. "That boy was looking at you like you know the meaning of life."

"You're both insane!"

But the fluttering in my chest that accompanies their observations?

Yeah, that strangely makes me hope that Edward _was_ looking at me like that.

* * *

**A/N: So, people are being totally weird, right?**

_**SORTA KINDA SEMI-SUPER IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!**_

**If you haven't checked your email, you should! Why? Ah, it's a reply to your Blood review, of course. Weird, right? Well, it seems that this story has become super popular – YAY! – but the downside is that if I continue doing my reply-to-your-reviews-here thing, my author's notes will be longer than the chapters and that's kind of frowned upon by the monitors here at fanfiction lol**

**BUT with the help of suggestions from _cullen freak8888_, I have a quasi solution that I think will please everyone...**

_ first review shout out will remain._

_ you are a "guest" or don't sign in and just use your name, you will automatically be replied to here._

_ you leave a simple * by your name or at the end of your review, I'll reply here._

_ you are signed in and don't leave a * somewhere in your review, I'll be PMing you!_

**So, on to the reviews that fall under categories 1 and 2!**

**host312 – My story is the best? That's so awesome! Thank you!**

**papierne . ersatzwelt – Ohh, schweet, Blood is being rec'd? That's so cool! Thanks for telling me! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far!**

**Guest – I love how you announced the contact lol I laughed!**

**And super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, Katherine Jimenez – I'm happy that the title seems to suit the story nicely! Thank you!**

**Alright, I'm off to watch…something on TV, I guess. Or play Sims3….**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**

(Want your review replied to in the next A/N. Drop me a * in your review!)


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Five**

_**Isabella Swan**_

The absolute first thing I do after my shift is sit down at the counter with a big plate of cheese-fries and a slice of Sue's apple pie. Sue is all too happy to load up my plate with slightly-bigger-than-normal portions. "Good girl," she says from across the counter, watching me with motherly eyes. "Eat up. Put some meat on those bones!"

I smile slightly, my mouth full of food, and roll my eyes. I ate a lot of meals at the diner and not only because Sue was wonderful company that gave me a _huge_ – I mean, free – discount of the food. Before I worked here and before I met Victoria, I ate all of my meals alone in my dorm's dining hall.

I was a lot younger than all the other freshman and noticeably smaller, too. Being sixteen in college sounds all kinds of cool but really, it's not – I was automatically stigmatized by the upperclassmen by being _freakishly smart_ and I was a runt to boot. I suppose I still am a runt, though I had grown _up_ – literally, as I was several inches taller than most girls at five-seven. Still, people did tend to give me my space and when I did eat at my dorm and Victoria wasn't there, I was alone.

Being alone wasn't a burden or anything – I was used to it and I kind of liked the solitude. But I hated eating alone and if Sue was offering free meals and conversation, who was I to turn her down?

Sue comes by with a can of whipped cream and, without any preamble, loads up my pie with a well-rounded dollop. "There," she grins. "Extra calories!"

Sue's slight obsession with fruitlessly trying to fatten me up was something of a comfort. She always said that one day, it'll all go to my hips and I'll be a happy woman. I only sort of hoped she was right but I also knew that the better way to gain weight was through lots of protein and I wasn't all that excited about red meat, though fish and chicken were okay in my book.

"Thanks, Sue."

She pats my cheek as I finish the pie. "Of course, darling girl. We'll be seeing you tomorrow, right?"

"Afternoon shift," I nod, tightening the scarf around my neck and being so thankful that nobody saw the evidence Paul left on me – namely Edward, though I couldn't come up with a concrete reason to hide it from him.

Not that I was going to linger on thoughts of Edward, anyway.

My dorm has a no-smoking policy, but I honestly think that the smoking of pot was overlooked by everyone, even the RA's. Maybe even especially the RA's, because the girl who introduced herself as my floor's residence advisor had dreadlocks and the distinct smell of _eau de weed_ wafting around her. She even did this dippy-nod thing with her head when she saw the old Converse shoebox on my bed. So, while cigarettes were strictly prohibited, everyone overlooked that singular odor that sometimes seeped from under the door cracks and into the hallway, as long as you _did_ air out your room.

I don't waste time as I enter my room, my eyes shifting to the locked window, and I kneel down, fishing out the shoebox from under my bed. My pipe's name was aptly _Daisy Duck_ because there was a single white, blue and yellow swirl that looked _exactly_ like the cartoon character. Or, at least, it did when I was high.

"Hello Daisy," I say as I pack and light the pipe, holding the smoke in my lungs for a few seconds before letting it out.

The high is instantly calming.

I open my window just a crack, put the pipe down on my built-in desk and slip off my clothes, trading my sweater in for one of my oversized Navy shirts. I'd had some version of the shirt since I was a kid and though the letters were fading into the color of this particular shirt, it was still my favorite thing to sleep in. Mom always said it was the _greatest honor to wear this shirt to sleep, because then our dreams will protect Daddy, too._

I guess she was right. Dad did come home safe and sound.

It was _after_ he came home that was the problem.

I take another hit, holding it in for a slightly longer amount of time, before I put the pipe back carefully into the shoebox and tuck into bed. I revel in the hazy feeling the high brings as I set my alarm clock for the sharp hour of eight.

Morning comes too fast and my high has faded; but I wake up rested, having avoided the recurring nightmare. I munch on a granola bar as I gather my toiletries and make my way to the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, I'm pulling on an oversized soft peach turtleneck, a pair of floral print skinny jeans and my boots, fixing my hair into a loose French braid and heading out the door. I'd even slicked on a pink-tinted beeswax chap-stick, belatedly realizing I'd done it because I knew I would be seeing Edward.

Not that I wanted to impress him.

Not that he _needed_ impressing.

Because he didn't.

Edward is standing right where he said he would be and we walked into the building together after he held the door open for me. I'd paused, sort of surprised that he would do such a thing, then pulled it together. Nobody had ever held a door open for me.

As we walk towards his classroom, I fidget with a loose string on my sweater. "So, here's how it'll go," I say, tilting my head in his direction and infusing my voice with as much confidence as I'm able, even though his presence really threw me _off_. "We sit together in the back, the teacher hands out the test, you fill in your information and then pass it to me. I'll take your test and you flip through my _blank_ one." I raise a brow at him. "Pretend to be busy. Most people forget that."

"Understood," he smirks.

Entirely too attractive.

I shake my head. "I'll pass the test back to you when I'm done and fake a bathroom break. I'll meet you outside after you turn in your test."

Edward frowns. "I don't like you waiting outside," he says.

My mind flashes to the still-missing Paul because, _hell_, I didn't want to wait outside while that nut-job was still at large – but I wasn't about to change my routine for anyone and that included both Paul _and_ Edward.

I shrug. "I'll be outside," I say again, firmly.

Edward sighs.

He might even roll his eyes.

Luckily for us, the professor has his back turned when we walk into the room – but I still keep my head down, hoping he doesn't recognize me as a non-student of his class. It had happened a couple of times in the past and it was less than fun to deal with.

I slouch towards the table when the professor begins handing out the tests.

And my heart stops when he stops in front of me for longer than necessary; out of the corner of my eye, I see Edward sitting up _too_ straight and a distinct expression of alarm on his face.

"Are you supposed to be here-"

I look up at the professor, a man younger than most of his peers, and let my eyes make contact with his through his thick square lenses. _Please, just move on. Don't give me a hard time_, I think, willing myself to appear normal, making my brows scrunch together.

The professor blinks at me, confusion painted across his face, before he moves on, handing a test to Edward and wandering to the front of the room.

Edward looks at me sharply, but I shrug.

Things just…happen when people look at me.

Taking the test is easy; I quickly recall equations and functions and components and, as luck would have it, I don't have to work at copying Edward's flawless handwriting. Edward, on the other hand, seems to have to work hard to remain moving – like it's more in his nature to sit still. Once I'm done, I pass his test to him and duck out of the room.

Less than ten minutes later, Edward meanders outside with perfect posture and I notice how entirely _odd_ he looks, trying to walk with a lazy slouch.

Where does this guy come from?

Most college boys have to work hard to remember to wear a belt to keep their pants up but not only does Edward wear his pants properly, he also acts proper – sophisticated way more than anybody in college should be. At least, anyone going to a state college should be.

He almost brings to life the images of Austen and Bronte – their male leads with the manners and movements that are unrealistic by today's standards.

It doesn't seem right.

Something about _this_ guy isn't right.

I cross my arms over my chest, drawing myself up to my full height as Edward comes closer, and I feel my face go blank, my walls coming up nice and tightly.

Edward doesn't seem to notice the change in my body language, as he is smiling brightly, his eyes ghosting over my face with open and _misplaced_ familiarity. "That was great! What did you do to the teacher, Isabella?"

"It's Bella," I say shortly. "And I didn't _do_ anything."

"He walked away pretty quick," Edward observes.

"People walk quickly."

Bright, minty eyes study me and soon the smile softly drops off his face. Edward narrows his eyes at me. "What's with you today?"

I roll my eyes. "As opposed to _what?_ My charming personality?"

Edward blinks at me, frowning. "You're not usually so-"

"There is no _usually_ between us," I snipe, cutting him off. "I don't even know you."

Amazingly, his face wipes blank and I see a flicker of disappointment in his eyes.

I try not to feel bad.

There _is_ something Edward is hiding and it makes his entire demeanor disarming – I'm not wrong in wanting to get away from him as soon as possible.

He could be dangerous.

At least, that's what I tell myself – on a deeper level, I'm remorseful that I'm suddenly acting like such a complete bitch towards him for no reason. I can only imagine the kind of mixed signals he's getting since I almost flirted with him yesterday.

"Right," he says eventually, his voice bland. Edward digs out his wallet and pulls out a small stack of money.

"Too much," I say automatically. "This wasn't even an exam. Small tests are just twenty."

"I insist," he tells me, trying to hand me the money again.

My arms don't move. "No. Twenty."

"Forty."

"Twenty."

"At least let me give you forty."

I level him a steady stare, letting my eyes bore into his. "Twenty."

Unlike most people, Edward barely seems affected – if anything, instead of becoming confused, a glint enters his eyes that I'm not comfortable with. I drop my gaze and he reluctantly hands me the twenty dollars.

"Thank you."

Edward puts his wallet back in his pocket. "Can I walk you anywhere?" he offers.

Except, instead of the question sounding innocent, it sounds like a desperate plea – and I just can't deal with it. His apparent interest in me just didn't match up with his increasingly _odd_ behavior.

I shake my head once. "I have a shift at the diner," I tell him, leaving him no room to ask again. "Thanks again for the business."

"Business," he repeats slowly, to himself.

I nod and walk off.

The entire time, even when I'm across campus, I feel his eyes heavy on my back, searing into my body, and I just know that he stood there, watching me, until he couldn't see me any longer.

Sue notices that I'm a bit disturbed during my shift and tries to question me on it, but I wave her off, noting a false bad night of sleep.

Hours pass and I offer to pull a double shift until closing when Sue's youngest sister calls, announcing that _this wonderful baby my goddamn husband put in me is on it's way_. I assure her I can handle the diner and that Bill was still with me and she is out the door, not even bothering to take off her floral apron.

By the time I've locked up the diner and bid Bill a good-night, it's past midnight and I'm swaying on my feet.

The streets of Seattle around the University are quiet except for the competitive pulsing of party music of two Greek houses – who were, apparently, having a contest of who had the worst musical taste.

Stupidly – and because I'm so tired – I walk on the darker side of the street, right where a few alley ways are located between houses.

I should have been where the streetlights were.

I should have been more aware of the familiar feeling of eyes on my back.

Or the prickle of gooseflesh underneath my thick sweater that acted as a warning.

Instead, mid-yawn, two beefy hands pull me into an alley.

The putrid stench of three-day-old sweat, blood, dirt and bodily functions fills my nose and hot, sticky breath huffs onto my neck.

I open my mouth to scream, but his hand clamps over my mouth.

"Fucking bitch," Paul rasps, like something is wrong with his own throat. His hand that had held me against him slides down my torso and to the button of my jeans.

I thrash.

Somehow, it makes it easier for him to unzip my pants.

I feel tears leaking easily down my face and paralyzing, _real_ fear – so much stronger than I ever thought fear could be – keeps my sobs silent. I can only think about how stupid I was to walk on this side of the street, alone, at night, knowing that Paul was somewhere out there.

"Didn't get you last time," he says. "Fucking guy ran me off. He had fucking fangs, do you believe that? Sucked the fucking blood right out me," he rambles, ripping at my sweater. "Left me in the fucking forest somewhere." Paul lets out a chilling chuckle. "But where's your savior now, huh bitch? Gone. And now I get to have you."

My eyes close and I hold my breath when Paul's hand pushing my pants and cotton underwear down my legs; I feel bile rise in my throat when I hear his zipper.

And just when I think it's too late and that my innocence is going to be tainted in the worst possible way, a thunderous, raging growl erupts in the alley.

Paul stops.

Relief floods me.

I look up, Paul's hand still on my face, over my mouth, and my eyes widen in disbelief.

Edward.

* * *

**A/N: So, the super quick updates have stopped and classes have picked up. I'm going to try a twice-a-week update – probably Wednesday and sometime on the weekend. Also, I felt so, so guilty for not doing _ my_ way of reviewing last week that I'm reinstating it.**

**Have a problem with long author notes? Eh. Not my problemo.**

**Reviews!**

**lovestwilight2010 – Thank you!**

**radar1999 – Glad you're lovin' it!**

**Flavia Ribeiro – I flove it too!**

**solidae26 – Another lover! :D**

**ngosa95 – Everyone can write this well! It's five stories worth of practice lol**

**Sabrina – Glad your loving this!**

**Kimmie41 – Still not sure about EPOV lol**

**james3142 – Yeahh, Emmett's….well, Emmett lol Not the most subtle one.**

**Michangelina – Love that you're friggin' lovin' it!**

**Hermionebrowneyes – I'm happy you find this unique!**

**CdrIvanova – Yes and yes. My vampires can eat and they have _normal_ colored eyes. Nice change of pace, huh?**

**sassygirl156 – Mmmmm, I don't know about blood slave for Bella. It's…more than that.**

**Maysnrs – LOL they are smiling like weirdos! Thanks for the *, too!**

**Princessnerra – Four days late is better than never again? Lol**

**sujari6 – Right? Those odd vamps.**

**albesca callimir – Right! The vamps usually keep to themselves for the most part.**

**Debslmac - :D**

**Headinthecloudsss – Ah, sharp eye. Alice and Jasper were not in the prologue and I don't know if they make it into this story. For now, not yet.**

**Cbmorefie – Thank ya, thank ya!**

**Merylin – Nope. You won't find any sparkling vampires in this story!**

**Muranda – Thank you!**

**Lilypad10 – That Rose, she is a character! French fries in French?! Ha!**

**host312 – Glad I have you hooked!**

**Twivampchick – Ah, vampire traits will be peppered in the story. Look out for the next chapter!**

**LunaDiSangue85 – Happy belated Birthday!**

**Tiffyboocullenjonas – Thank you!**

**vampyregirl86 – Emmett is so loveable lol**

**cullen freak8888 – In the dictionary, Emmett's picture is right next to suspicious lol**

**kaygou – Nah, I don't know who the bad guy is going to be yet…okay, I do, but I'm not saying lol**

**Twilight Rocker 12 – All Cullens are cute, even when they're being freakazoids lol**

**Edward's spouse – Thank you for reading!**

**krystalwinds1990 – If only Paul would stay gone!**

**SrslyGiGi – That's okay. I would marry my Vampward if I was able to lol**

**YesMyRealNameIsBella – Ah, she wouldn't be Bella if she didn't think she was ugly lol I love all those contestants on the XFactor!**

**And super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, Valentine Rain – They are grinning loons, huh? Lol**

**Alright, off to scrounge up some dinner!**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it!**

**~cupcakeriot**


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Six**

_**Isabella Swan**_

The alley is dark, the lone streetlight on the other side of the road barely throws light in this direction; even so, as Edward steps out of the pitch black shadows, I am able to see just enough of his face to be simultaneously calmed and panicked. My eyes have adjusted during Paul's attack and I just _know_ I'm not seeing things, though I hope I am.

Paul's hand is still on my face, but it has gone slack – I can even tell that he has stopped breathing as he takes in the menacing expression on Edward's face and there is no mistaking the fearful tremor of Paul's body behind mine.

Edward steps forward again, closer to us, further from the shadows, and I think I see a glint of something sharp on his mouth – white, pointed, long and poking into his lip – but I banish the thought, blaming the adrenaline in my system. "I told you to stay away from her," he says lowly, something in his voice close to a deep melodic rumble.

"Shit," Paul curses, pushing away from me.

His shove is quick and violent, sends me stumbling forward, and down, towards the dirty, gritty alley ground and the mud puddles that sink into the gravel. My jeans and underwear are pushed down to my knees, leaving me unable to maneuver my limbs; I close my eyes, expecting the humiliating fall that will leave my backside exposed.

But instead of meeting the damp asphalt, I am pulled close – and gently – into a hard, cool body.

I look up at Edward briefly, wondering how he got to me so _quickly_ – because he was at least ten feet away. Nobody moves that fast.

Edward is polite enough to keep his eyes averted from my exposed bottom half, though that might be because his lethal glare is directed towards a stuttering Paul. Carefully, slowly, Edward steps in front of me, shielding me from Paul and helping me gain back my modesty – I don't waste time once I am hidden from view, my shaking fingers pulling up my panties and struggling to button up my jeans. I am suddenly much colder than I had been before and, I realize with a start, that I'm going into shock.

With wide eyes and shallow breathing, I watch Edward's broad shoulders as he walks closer to Paul; his build is much more lean than my assailant's, but there is a certain precision in which Edward moves that makes him seem dangerous. I'd noticed the same thing earlier – the sort of planned, measured grace he seemed to possess – but now, I was seeing it in a different light.

He seemed nearly primal in this moment.

Wind pushes at Edward's dark hair as he gets in Paul's personal space, pushing Paul to lean his body against rough brick. "You remember that, don't you?" Edward asks with a hiss.

"Re-remember what?"

I can now see Edward's profile, the sharp, straight angle of his nose, and the cut of his jaw and the almost iridescent pale of his skin contrasting with the dark shadows. His top lip pulls up, exposing his gums and the undeniable presence of elongated incisors. "That I told you to stay away from her," Edward answers, a menacing emotion of sheer _glee_ crossing his face. "But somehow, you came back. Why is that?"

Paul gulps but says nothing.

Edward continues, ignoring the silence, tilting his head at Paul while I watch, strangely entranced – wanting to move, wanting to simply run away screaming, but also wanting to stay because I knew Edward meant my safety. "I believe you said you wanted to _have her?_" Edward sneers. "You can't. Isabella is _mine._"

My heart flutters in my chest – an opposite and completely wrong reaction to the events unfolding before my eyes. I can't even analyze my betraying emotions, because Edward is moving, tilting Paul's chin up and to the side, exposing his neck.

"I let you live last time," he says.

Paul whimpers.

Edward looks over to me and though it is too dark to see the exact shade of his eyes, I can tell the pupil is huge and otherworldly. He stares at me until I look away – and based on the sounds I hear immediately after my gaze is diverted, that is probably a good thing.

There is a quick, sinking sound.

Paul's agonized groans that trail off into silence.

And the drop of purely dead body weight, a hand – maybe – splashing into a mud puddle.

Hearing the silence, I keep my eyes steady on the alley exit, not able to bring myself to look at Paul or his surely dead self.

There was no way he was alive.

And a large part of me was _happy _about it.

I knew it was a survival thing – being happy about the death of a predator was all too common in the world of animals. But I wasn't in the environment. I shouldn't feel glad that Paul would no longer be a problem for me.

Yet, I was.

A sudden, heavy weight is placed on my shoulders and a distinctly male, musky scent surrounds me. My fingers brush against Edward's dark cobalt, heavy wool coat – it engulfs me, brushing against my thighs above my knees, and protects me from the growing wind. I hadn't even realized I was shivering.

Edward circles me, coming to stand in my direct line of vision, and grasps my shoulders. I might have expected his face to be covered in red stains, but it was clean and his eyes only held worry for my wellbeing.

"Bella?"

"Hmm?"

"Let's get you home, princess."

I nod absently, my body easily drifting towards the direction of his hands as he leads me out of the alley slowly. My mind is playing catch-up – remembering Edward's sudden appearance, the _things_ coming out of his mouth, Paul's dead body – and I stop, pulling my hands away from him with force.

Edward's brow furrows. "Bella, what's wrong-"

"What are you?" I demand lowly, stubbornly not allowing my voice to tremble.

I don't know why I ask.

It's so obvious.

It's above asking, because I _know_.

And for some reason, I fail to be scared – I should be.

He could kill me.

But, if he wanted to kill me, he would have already done it.

Instead, he paid me to take a test.

And out of everything, this irks me. "You lying son of a bitch!" I tell him, raising my hand to hit him; he stops me, carefully taking my hand into his own. "You could have taken that test! I could have slept in or picked up another shift!"

Edward's brows rise in surprise. "I'm sorry-"

"I thought you were an idiot! Obviously, that's not true. God, and that teacher? I could have gotten caught – I could have gotten suspended, Edward. Are you kidding me? Here," I say, pulling away from him and digging his money out of my pocket. "Take this. I don't deserve it since I didn't do anything you can't do. How lazy do you have to be-"

Edward laughs, his head thrown back, his mouth open and revealing two slightly larger than normal incisors. His teeth are incredibly straight and white, despite the staining blood should cause – I mean, blood would cause staining after a while, right? But his teeth are perfect.

I stop my inane tirade, simply staring at his too-good-to-be-true features and his impressive height and build, as he laughs heartily.

"You killed him," I state once he stops laughing.

Edward nods. "Yes. I did."

"What will happen to his body? Will he…turn into someone like you?"

"My brother will take care of it," Edward tells me. "No, he won't become….like me."

"And I can trust you?"

Now that we're in the lights, I can see the exact shade of Edward's solemn eyes. "More than anything," he answers reverently.

I believe him instantly, sighing into the cool October air.

It wasn't a question of whether or not I should trust him – I already did. There was no denying that. It wasn't even a conscious decision I made; and I had a feeling that there was never going to be a choice in if I should trust Edward or not. It was more a question if I could trust my wellbeing with him – trust him to take care of my life.

He had just entered me into an unknown world and we both knew it.

By protecting me, Edward had made a statement of proportions unknown to me.

I'd already put him in charge of my safety, as soon as I saw those pointed teeth.

Now, it was just a matter of Edward living up to it.

He moves to my side, securing a strong arm across my back, and leads me quietly towards the dorm. My shivering had stopped, but I refused to take off his jacket and I honestly could care less if he minded or not. I took what little comfort I could from the warmth because I knew as soon as I got to my room, I would be asking questions.

Edward walks me up to the door of my building and holds it open for me; he does not follow me inside and, for some reason, I'd suspected that he wouldn't. "I'll meet you in your room," he tells me softly, a pale hand reaching forward to push hair away from my face.

And then, he's gone – faster than I can blink.

I guess since his little secret is out, he's not holding anything back.

As I ride the elevator up to my floor, entirely too exhausted for the stairs, I reflect on my thoughts about Edward; I've barely known the guy for three days but I feel as if I've known him all my life, almost like he's been a presence since birth.

He seems familiar.

I'm not surprised when I find his lanky body lounging across my bed, hands behind his head and a small smirk across his face. My eyes dart to the barely open window and back to him. "Well, I guess that answers my first question," I tell him dryly. "You are the window culprit?"

Edward grins.

"Why?"

He shrugs, a sort of forced nonchalance from his controlled shoulders. "I had to acquaint myself with your scent somehow."

"It was too much trouble to _close_ the window afterwards?"

"It's hard to close a window from the outside."

I gesture to the swinging lock of my window, acknowledging his logic and asking a silent question at the same time – how did he get the window _open_ then, without breaking the lock?

Edward follows my hand. "Ah," he says, brandishing his nails. "Something that will forever be a mystery."

"Are you serious? You can't tell me how you got in?"

"Oh, I can tell you. I'm just not going to."

I huff, annoyed, and strip off his coat, dropping it on my desk chair. I remain standing, not able to bring myself to sit beside him on the bed. "Are you ever going to answer my question?"

"About the window? No. The one about what I am…how about you tell me some theories."

I quirk one brow up. "It's not a theory."

"Lay it on me."

"Vampire."

The room is silent after my statement and Edward's eyes are heavy on my body. He does not make a move, so neither do I.

After a silence that is far too long, he finally nods, smiling sadly. "You're not running and screaming."

"You saved my life, Edward. I'm not likely to forget that anytime soon."

"So, you're not scared?"

I shake my head, feeling my heart pound in my chest. "I didn't say that."

He frowns. "I don't want you to fear me."

"I didn't say that, either."

His eyes soften and he sits up fluidly, leaning towards me. I feel drawn to him by some outside force; I don't even fight it as my body moves within touching-distance of him.

And I definitely don't shake of his gently hands as they settle on my hips.

"I would never hurt you," he tells me softly.

"You don't want to eat me, then?"

A glint enters his eyes. "I didn't say that," he mimics.

My heart beats double time.

His fingers tighten intimately on my hips. "If I got_ hungry_ around you, Bella, I promise you would enjoy it."

"Is that so?"

He scoots closer to me and I notice that his head is level with my chest – he seems to notice this, too. "It's a fact."

We're both caught up in the moment – and I'm not sure if I lean towards him or if he leans towards me, but his cool lips are gentle on his face and traveling down towards my neck. I tilt my head back in the hopes that it would assist him in gaining access to my throat, even with my turtleneck in the way. His chin nudges the fabric down and his lips soon follow – and then, he freezes.

And a low growl fills the room.

"What is _this_?"

* * *

**A/N: So, I haven't had a good day at all. Why are some parents really cruel? I mean, just because I don't have half-naked men plastered on my walls doesn't mean I'm gay, Mom. Because I'm taking care of her, I don't have time to go out and fraternize with other teens, let alone boys – and that makes me a "weird bitch" (her words, not mine)…. So, I'm upset and I cried myself to sleep last night, which has carried over into the next day, and I'm seriously regretting doing the right thing and choosing to go to college online….**

**Enough about my sorry life, let's go to reviews:**

**angelari7 – Or Eddie's gonna make someone be in trouble!**

**Sabrina – I hope she's nicer to him!**

**twilight-saga-lover95 – Loved your review-for-all-the-chapters thing! My vampires have a way to not be allergic to the sun…**

**Kimmie41 – Well, they were acting creepy….**

**Midnight Angels Say GoodNight – Edward seems to have lost his ability to be subtle, too!**

**host312 – Updated, pretty soon, on schedule and all of that!**

**Flavia Ribeiro – I feel bad for Vampward/Heroward!**

**sujari6 – Oh, no, Paul didn't get away with it this time.**

**Headinthecloudsss – Your review was hilarious, made me smile when I was feeling down!**

**Debslmac – A :D just for you.**

**vampyregirl86 – I try to keep it all as original as possible!**

**Maggiejoma – Oh, that cat has been trying to get out of the bag for a while…**

**Twilight Tink – This story in particular has been in my mind for years!**

**Twivampchick – He did cut it close! Almost too late!**

**CdrIvanova – No, Paul isn't a vamp! My vampires are very, very different in all aspects.**

**Valentine Rain – Paul must be, like, really stupid!**

**LunaDiSangue85 – So funny! No, this isn't payback for Assward in Phantasm….I don't think.**

**Welcome2MyWorldxoxo – Yeah, Edward, why didn't you kill Paul the first time?**

**SrslyGiGi – I did leave you hanging! And, I've done it again.**

**Kaygou – Ah, yes, in the Prologue, it was mentioned that she was born in 1993 (19 years ago). She also graduated high school a few years earlier.**

**Maysnrs – Bella the Jedi! It fits.**

**Muranda – You're right! It didn't happen twice….**

**Krystalwinds1990 – Nope, the transformation to become a vampire is much different now….**

**YesMyRealNameIsBella – Hmmm….well maybe if Edward had swag, Bella wouldn't have to be so mean?**

**james3142 – How did the big reveal go?**

**Lilypad10 – You got it right. It's all about her soul….**

**Cbmorefie – Sorry! Had to leave it there.**

**Holidai – That thing with her eyes is a latent ability.**

**Twilight Rocker 12 – I love this Edward, too!**

**velvetWhispers, VAlvr04, ch0c0lat3, Edward's spouse, solidae26, blve6, lovestwilight2010, dinotopian and tiffyboocullenjonas – thank you all for reading and reviewing! I appreciate your love for the story! Hope I don't disappoint.**

**And super special shout-out to the first review of the last chapter, mamacat20 – Paul is just your run-of-the-mill weirdo, I guess…**

**Now, I'm off to watch some mind-numbing TV and eat lasagna.**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

_**Isabella Swan**_

Instinctively, I step as far away from Edward as I'm able to – which isn't far, as his hands are immobile against my hips. His face is frozen as he stares at my neck, that special glint in his eyes gone, replaced with startling anger. Two undeniable fangs emerge with a faint _click_ so quickly that I can't even understand how it happened; I can't deny that his vampirism has made me insanely curious and I want to know how it all _works_.

I take a moment to really look at his fangs – they are long, brushing past his lower lip to indent the skin just below, and bright white near the gums, until they fade into perfectly sharp, delicate translucent points. They are both beautiful and clearly deadly.

And his aristocratic face seems to transform just a bit when they are drawn out – his lips look fuller, darker, his skin is a shade paler and his eyes seem to glow just a little bit, the minty green color now reflecting the dim light of my room back at me.

Even as stunningly handsome as he is in this moment, I feel the furious pumping of my heart – I feel my fear. I want to reach up and cover my neck, protect my easiest artery from becoming a target.

It's not Edward I'm afraid of, though. It's his inner monster – the visibly primal one that he keeps locked up.

His body is too still – a different kind of still that makes my skin break out into gooseflesh. This is the kind of stillness that predators have, the calculated, cold stillness that can get dangerous rather quickly.

I try to back away again and he growls at me.

_He growls at me._

I briefly consider this an amusing thought to have, until I recognize how serious this could be. The growling is more of a warning than a threat, so I remain warily where I am.

Edward stands suddenly, the entire length of his body brushing against mine faster than I can process it – aside from the fact that it felt _good_, of course. He is using his considerable height to loom over me and there is barely two inches of space between us.

Edward bends until his face is level with my own, his glowing green eyes eerily hypnotizing me to stay still. His hands move quickly, deftly dipping under the thick fabric of my sweater and trailing across the skin of my hips; my turtleneck sweater is laying across my pillow before I can even protest, and I am starkly glad that I'd worn a bra today, cotton or not.

His hand moves again, gently titling my chin back so he can get a better look at my neck.

He growls again, though it seems to be gentler, more of a pained sound than before. Edward leans forward, brushing his nose against the bruises on my neck, and blows his cool breath across my skin.

My entire body reacts – I shiver, my nipples tighten and I lean into his hands. I don't even stop to consider the dangers of what is happening right now, like the fact that I'm being held in the embrace of a vampire whose fangs are out. Instead, without my consent, my head tilts back further.

I'm operating on two levels – my rational side, which is doing nothing but observing at the moment, and the side that seems to automatically belong to Edward, which is eagerly bending to whatever his will may be.

"Does it hurt?" he rumbles, his deep voice dipping into tiny growls between the words.

"No," I breathe.

"He marked you," Edward tells me. "I can fix that."

I feel my brows shoot up, questions blaring through my fogged mind. Being this close to Edward so suddenly has left me so compliant, so willing to do anything he wanted. "What?"

Edward's hand on my chin moves slowly down my neck and around to the back of my head, where he threads his long fingers into my hair, loosening the tightness of the braid. "I can fix it," he breathes onto my skin, moving his other hand down to the small of my back, where he holds me tightly against his hard body.

I shiver again, somehow not freezing though I am pressed up against his coldness. "What would you do?"

Edward's lips carefully press against my throat, his fangs just barely scraping against my skin. "I would give you some of my blood."

I freeze, my mind suddenly moving a mile a minute.

Blood.

His blood.

I don't bother to struggle against his hold – because I don't want to and I don't feel like I _should_ struggle – but I do feel my breathing skyrocket.

I don't know whether it's from anticipation or fear anymore.

Edward kisses the point between my shoulder and neck again, inhaling deeply.

"What would that do?"

I think I feel him smile against my skin. "It would create a bond between us."

"A bond."

"Yes."

"What kind of bond?"

This time, I'm sure that he intends to scrape his fangs against the skin of my shoulder, because it feels so deliberate – it doesn't hurt, doesn't draw blood. Rather, it makes my back arch so that my breasts are pressed against his chest. I feel like I should be self-conscious by now, being the only one in the room without a shirt, but I don't – my body just yearns to be closer to his.

"It is a blood bond," he tells me. "When I give you my blood, I will be able to find you wherever you are and your body will call for mine."

"I'll want to have sex with you?"

He laughs against my skin, pulling back. "I would hope you want to have sex with me _now_, but yes, you'll want to."

I close my eyes. "Will I…have to?"

I feel Edward looking at me. He does not answer until I open my eyes. "No, princess. You will never have to do anything you don't want to."

I swallow, my mind made up. "Then I would rather not drink your blood."

Edward nods slowly, kissing my cheek, then my shoulder again before pulling back, his cold hands trailing slowly across my exposed skin. "That's fine," he smiles, his fangs slowly retreating. "I know you will eventually want to."

When Edward's skin is no longer touching my own, I feel a flash of embarrassment over my body and feel my face heat up. Edward doesn't seem to notice, as his eyes are drawn to my chest and then to my neck; he frowns. "I don't like to see his mark on you, though."

"He's dead," I say flatly, turning towards the skinny built-in closet that all dorm rooms seem to have. I pull on the large Navy shirt that I always sleep in and stop, looking down at my floral jeans. I didn't usually sleep with pants and it didn't seem like Edward was going anywhere anytime soon. I sigh, stepping out of my jeans and for once being thankful that my body is so small and willowy; the oversized shirt almost touches my knees, so Edward doesn't see anything he shouldn't, though he does make a low, appreciative sound in the back of his throat. When I turn back to him, his eyes are bright and lingering on my legs. "Stop looking."

"I really don't want to stop looking, Bella," he says, forcing his eyes up to my face. "You are…_extremely_ attractive to me."

I raise a brow, shooing him off my bed so I can sink under the covers. I'm so tired at this point that I could honestly care less if he stayed or left, though I had a feeling he would be staying. "My blood or my body?" I ask after yawning.

Edward sits beside me on the bed, carefully unbraiding my hair. "Honestly? It's both. I want to taste you, drink you in, inhale your essence almost as much as I want to lay with you and feel your warmth…"

I inhale sharply, shivering, responding to his voice and trying not to let it show. "I see."

Edward smirks. "I'll bet you do. May I stay with you?"

I nod, feeling calm in his presence – feeling safe and protected and _cherished_ – even though it was probably too soon to feel any of those things.

There was something wholly unexplainable about Edward.

Even more unexplainable was the way I was quickly feeling for him.

It just _was_.

It isn't long until I am falling asleep, Edward's fingers carefully combing through my hair, lulling me into a peaceful slumber that doesn't remain as peaceful as it should be.

_The nightmare doesn't begin as it usually does. I am sitting in the cab of a carriage, a slow drop of rain leaking onto the floor. My father is standing outside, his overcoat getting soaked and his top hat is losing it's shape. _

_We had been on our way to a New Years party when our driver had stopped the carriage to report a broken wheel; he'd left to visit one of the houses a few miles back to see if there were any spare parts he could purchase. Father had taken it upon himself to search for another ride, though he had absolutely no experience doing so. It was not hard to find another ride in Paris._

_I hear the hooves of a horse and I think that maybe our driver had finally come back with our mare and the wheel, but looking out, I only see an approaching carriage and my father trying to wave it down._

_The carriage stops and I can hear Father conversing with the driver in his broken English. We had barely been in the New World for a few months, but Father had known English for years – I, however, was still speaking in French._

_I couldn't understand any English._

_Father hurries through the rain and escorts me into the new carriage. The sole passenger is a man not many years older than me – he is very handsome and seems to pay me much silent attention, his oddly bright green eyes traveling over my face. He speaks with Father for a few moments and I wonder if he is maybe asking about me, though I do not hear my name._

_Soon after, the carriage stops in front of one of the large Georgia homes._

_Hours pass and, occasionally, I feel eyes on me. A young man asks me to dance in stilted French and I smile, allowing him to escort me onto the dance floor._

_We share a fast paced dance and I laugh freely, enjoying the fast movements._

_And then, the handsome man from the carriage cuts in._

_He feels cool as he holds me through the dance and he whispers soft words to me. I answer in confused French and he frowns for a moment._

_That is when the count down for the New Year begins. _

_The handsome man grins at me but is called over by other men who are nearly as handsome as he is._

_He walks away with regret on his face._

_Do his friends not want him associating with a French girl?_

_I was not aware of that type of segregation in the New World._

_I frown, hearing the numbers count down further, hearing glasses clinking and the people around me growing more excited._

_And then, there is an explosion._

_I feel my body thrown to the side and I am hit with something hard and hot._

_My world turns black._

_Sometime later, I feel heat all around me and the feel of smoke in my lungs._

_I cough and squint my eyes open._

_An unharmed vision of the handsome man is kneeling beside me, his cold hands fluttering over my body._

_My lungs feel slow._

_Breathing hurts._

_The man looks like he is in pain, like he is about to cry._

_I don't think he notices my open eyes._

_And then, breathing becomes too difficult._

_The smoke is too thick and it feels like my lungs are being burned._

_My world is dimming again and I realize I'm dying._

_But through it all, I can see the man speaking words and I hear a frightening growling._

_My breathing stops._

I sit up in bed, breathing hard, panic in my thoughts and my heart hammering away in my chest. Tears are in my eyes and my mind is whirring.

"Bella? Princess, what's wrong?"

I look at Edward and his familiarity hits me hard.

Those eyes.

"You," I say, my hands shaking as I push the sheet off my legs.

Edward moves off the bed, his brows drawn up in the middle. He watches as I begin to pace, my hands pushing roughly through my hair.

After watching me work a hole into my floor for a few minutes, Edward stops me, stepping into my path. "Bella, what happened?"

I avert my eyes, looking at the dawning of a new day and knowing I only got a few hours of sleep. "I've met you before, haven't I?"

Edward is silent, prompting me to look at him.

"How did you find out?" he asks quietly.

My mind feels frozen, going over the past several hours – Edward saving me, Edward getting me home, Edward laying kisses on my body, Edward offering his blood, Edward putting me to sleep.

Edward not pressuring me.

Edward helping me.

Edward being _loving_ towards me.

What do I have to be mad – or scared – about?

Edward hadn't done anything wrong.

But from the looks of it, it seemed like there was a lot of explaining to do.

I turn to face Edward fully, letting my eyes meet his and feeling a total shock pulse through my body.

Even without taking his blood, I feel so drawn to him. I realized, with no small amount of disbelief, that my life had just become the vampire version of Cinderella. Except that I didn't lose a shoe once upon a time; I lost my life.

I also realized, somewhat reluctantly, that I _belonged_ to him – that my blood was his.

I'm sure Edward had a word for what this was.

And even though I was due at my Dad's house in a handful of hours, even though I was operating on barely any sleep, I was prepared to find out the answers.

* * *

**A/N: This quick update is a HUGE thank you to all of you who left me encouraging words and your own experiences as the mother or daughter in your reviews. You all have no idea how much better you made me feel and I found such strength hearing from all of you that I was inspired to write this chapter. So, again, thank you. I'm often stunned by how close the fandom can bring people.**

**Reviews!**

**SrslyGiGi – I'm on a cliffhanger-roll, it seems lol**

**Kimmie41 – Ha! Sorry! No EPOV yet. Go ahead, keep pouting!**

**sujari6 – Ah, yes, the end of Paul. A great thing indeed!**

**Flavia Ribeiro – He found 'em alright lol**

**IDreamOfLullaby's – I'm your favorite? Yay me! Thank you!**

**Pumpkinmykitty – Thank you for the mother's perspective. Glad you loved the chapter!**

**angelari7 – I did smile! It took me a little while to get the joke because I had to figure out that a _que_ is a _line_…but it did make me laugh lol**

**LazerBeams – Did Edward's reaction disappoint?**

**Debslmac - :D**

**Ordinary-girl-XD – I'm trying to do a bi-weekly update (Wednesday and Saturday) but there probably will be quick updates like this, too. Just…keep an eye on your email, I guess? Lol I'm not very consistent.**

**Headinthecloudsss – Not quite a "singer" in the Twilight sense. Edward doesn't feel drawn to drain her, he just really wants to mate her….It'll be explained later on!**

**Maggiejoma – Yes! Bella knows the truth…kind of!**

**Valentine Rain – Aww, I got a hug! Lol Thank you!**

**B – You know, I couldn't even tell English was your second language. Your review was touching.**

**Darkward Darling – I love your username lol I don't know how dark my Edward is going to be, we'll see…**

**Adipocere – Thank you for the objective stance you provided. Everything you said made perfect sense.**

**Kaygou – Right? We'll figure our own lives out! No need for mom to step in! lol**

**LunaDiSangue85 – Again, thank you so much for what you've said!**

**Holidai – I had to add in some humor! And yay for Paul being dead and Bella being happy about it!**

**Louisepark – I feel so special! I hope you don't read the updates when driving! Lol**

**CdrIvanova – Uhmmm…I'm not even sure how he gets that window open. Vampire voodoo?**

**amberosia1 – lol Maybe Edward should have said that! Though Paul probably wouldn't have tasted like chicken!**

**YesMyRealNameIsBella – Yep, no XFactor for us, either. I think it comes back in November, along with Glee and New Girl. At least that gives me time to catch up on my Halloween movies!**

**twilight-saga-lover95 – I totally get what you're saying lol He was being a gentleman about…murdering, which just doesn't seem right!**

**Maysnrs – Edward being unhappy was an understatement lol That overreacting fool!**

**james3142 – Seriously, if I am ever in El Paso, I'm taking you up on that lol I'm almost convinced he opens the window with a nail file or something!**

**Lilypad10 – Ah, merging memories? Hmmm, we shall see.**

**Krystalwinds1990 – He'd kill Paul twice, I bet, if he could!**

**Edward's spouse – I do like being different in my writing. It's like getting a nice mental high-five all the time.**

**vampyregirl86 – He's still mad! Lol Even if he did kill the guy!**

**Michangelina – Thank you! And you're so right! You stay strong, too!**

**Tiffyboocullenjonas, FLOW LIZ, wendemyre, lovestwilight2010, radar1999, Welcome2MyWorldxoxo and dinotopian – Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. I'm thrilled that each of you are loving the story! Tune in next time!**

**And super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, Twilight Rocker 12 – My day did get better! I have all these amazing people reading and writing me these awesome reviews, of course everything is going to get happy again!**

**Okay, I'm off to watch Easy A with some hot chocolate! A sidenote! Adele had her baby! It's a boy! Can anyone imagine how beautiful that baby's lullaby is going to be?**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

_**Isabella Swan**_

"I've been having dreams."

Edward studies my face, his mint eyes gentle on my own; and what a dichotomy that is, a gentle vampire. "Dreams," he murmurs.

"About dying," I say.

His face turns stricken and he reaches for my hands – I let him, wanting, _needing_ that contact more than I am willing to admit. His fingers wrap around my own and my skin feels alive. "Tell me more about these dreams," he requests.

I stand before him, realizing that my body is wedged between his legs as he sits on my bed, and nod. "I've had them since I was sixteen, since coming to school here. They're more nightmares, really. It was always the same – feeling the smoke choke me…" I pause, gauging his stony, heartbroken face. "And until last night, I thought they would stay that way."

"What changed?"

I remove one of my hands from his, pushing his hair back and revealing the smooth expanse of his forehead. "I dreamt of events before the usual nightmare. I dreamt of you and a carriage and a party. A dance," I whisper, watching as he shuts down before me. "Edward?"

"What else?" he manages.

I sigh, having the distinct notion that my next words were going to break him and wanting more than anything to prevent that.

I simply didn't want to cause Edward pain.

"I dreamt of you kneeling above me, saying things that I couldn't hear. Dreamt of you…growling."

Edward's eyes snap up to mine, wide and astonished.

He shakes his head.

"No, no," he tells me. His hands start to shake. I didn't think vampires can do that. "No, you were already dead-"

"Edward, it was just a _dream_."

"It's more than a dream, Bella!" he shouts, obviously distressed. I see tears well up in his eyes – pink tears, as odd as they are. "It really happened. It did. It happened years and years ago and I couldn't save you. You were _alive_ and I couldn't save you-"

Without really making the decision to do so, I throw my arms around his lean body, hugging myself to him and marveling in how much I enjoyed the bodily contact. "Calm down, Edward. It was just a dream."

He's wrapped his arms around me and looks down pensively, his sharp features somehow more heartbreaking. "Do you believe in reincarnation, Bella?"

I blink up at him. "What? Like being born as a _flower_? No."

It wasn't logical – of course I didn't believe in it.

Edward smiles a bit. "Then how do you explain your dreams? All those little details I'm sure you noticed?" He frowns at me, holding me arms-length away. "Bella, why else would you freak out so bad if reincarnation wasn't real?"

I stare at him for an immeasurable amount of time, my mind roving over the last fifteen minutes.

Hadn't I just thought of myself as a vampire-version Cinderella story? I might not have had two step-sisters, evil or not, or a fairy godmother – though Victoria and Sue could easily fill those rolls respectively – but I did lose my own metaphorical shoe.

I lost my life in the dream.

In the recurring _nightmare_

What if Edward was the Prince, I was Cinderella, and the explosion was the clock striking midnight? And instead of running off and losing a shoe, I just died?

Every recreated Cinderella story out there was proof enough that Cinderella _always_ gets her shoe back.

Was I really willing to discount the theory of reincarnation so easily?

How could I prove that I wasn't _wearing my lost shoe_ right now?

And Edward – the likely_ immortal vampire _ – seemed to be adamant about this reincarnation idea. He'd probably been around and seen it all.

He thought the idea had merit.

Plus, the most logical part of me added in the unexplainable familiarity I felt for Edward – like I'd met him before.

I might have met him before in another life.

Apparently, the life I'd been dreaming about for three years.

I sigh, already knowing that my mind had made itself up and, apparently, I was Edward's French Cinderella come-back-to-life. "So, say I _am_ this French girl from my dreams," I start. "Why are you only finding me _now_?"

Edward's hands flutter over my shoulders, just ghosting over the thin material of my Navy shirt, and move down to grasp my hands. "It took a while to find you."

"You'll need to explain a lot more than that if I'm to believe that this isn't bullshit, Edward."

Edward frowns. "There's so much you don't know, yet. So much that can make you run away."

I squeeze his hands, silently imploring him to look at me again. "Edward – and I can't believe I'm saying this – but there will be no running from my end. You killed someone for me. Saved my life. I swear, I'm not running."

"It's vampire things, Bella."

I wave a finger at his mouth. "I've seen the fangs," I tell him. "I'm more than aware of what you are. And…I'm interested in _you_. So, stop holding back and just tell me."

And that is when my stomach lets out a massive, angry growl. I feel my face heat in embarrassment, growing hotter when Edward's wide eyes move to my belly with shock.

He shakes his head slowly. "I must be a terrible mate if your hunger is this aggravated," he mutters.

I stare at him with wide eyes, processing that one word; _mate_.

It had so many implications.

I was shocked that I wanted every implied notion available.

"Mate?"

Edward's eyes snap to mine with panic and he shoots across the room. "A saying," he says quickly, almost fearfully. "It means nothing, really."

I wonder, briefly, if Edward appreciates just how _smart_ I am.

But even an idiot would know that he's lying.

There was real fear on his face, though – and I recognized it for exactly what it was. Edward was walking on eggshells, trying to win my affections, and had an obvious, deep-rooted terror that I would leave him.

I couldn't even conceive leaving him, if I was being honest.

"Edward."

He looks back at me, clearly nervous.

"Edward, what am I to you? And don't lie."

Both of his hands push through his hair, a mix of agitation and nerves battling on his face. He moves to the bed, sitting down heavily, my mattress squeaking in protest at the sudden weight; he gently takes my hand and pulls me down beside him. "Vampires only fall in love once," he tells me solemnly. "And two hundred and sixty years ago, I fell in love with you.

"It was instant, though I didn't recognize what it was at first. I thought it was passing attraction…but then that dance with you…When a vampire finds his mate, his heart begins to beat," he whispers, moving my hand to his chest and holding it above his heart. I don't feel anything at first, but after a few moments, there is a distinct, single thump below my palm. "Mine began beating right before you died. And after you were gone, it didn't beat until 1993. I _knew_ that you had been born again and I just had to find you. I didn't care what you looked like, what you sounded like, what nation you belonged to – I just had to find you. But the world is a very large place and I had no clue if I was looking in the right places. I didn't even know who I was looking for. I sent out so many trackers, Bella…

"It took nineteen years. My best pair of trackers finally found you here and I set out to see you immediately. Isabella, I have waited centuries to find you again," Edward whispers. "It's been agonizing, existing without my mate by my side. And now that I've finally set my eyes on you, I don't want anything to take you away from me. That must sound incredibly selfish."

I shake my head, having already accepted everything he told me as the truth – it felt right. Of course, I hadn't fully grasped the fact that I was his _mate_, but I could understand his waiting, his longing, his fear and passion. I could even appreciate the full feeling in my chest that I'd begun to associate with Edward's presence.

Everything about what was happening made sense.

There was no way I could question it.

"It's not selfish," I tell him, my fingers trailing the length of his. "I'm your mate, then?"

"My one and only, forever, Bella," he answers, the mint of his eyes glowing again.

"What exactly does that mean for me?"

Edward smiles, a slow, gentle curve on his lips. "It means I get to take care of you and share my body and blood with you."

I shiver races up my spine, my skin suddenly alive again.

There was a certain appeal to sharing his blood, though I wasn't quite ready for that. "What about the bond? What is that?"

"It's the vampire equivalent of marriage. A vampire can only be bonded to one person at a time, human or vampire. The first bond, the one that allows me to find you, is more of a declaration of sorts. The second blood exchange is me claiming you to my society; it protects you more, lets me feel your emotions. And the third blood exchange is the most sacred – this is when the bond becomes permanent and you can feel _my_ emotions. We would be married in the eyes of my people," he explains.

I nod, following the logic – the progression from boyfriend to fiancé to husband that comes with each exchange. "What about me just drinking your blood?"

"The first time, it would start the bond. Other times, if you are the only one having the blood intake, the blood acts as a healer." His thumb rubs over the top of my hand.

I feel myself leaning into him. "And if you are the only one drinking blood?"

Edward grins suddenly. "Bella, that's pleasurable for both of us. I get to taste you and, from what I hear, you experience the most unbelievable ecstasy. It does nothing for the bond."

My face heats again and I can almost feel my body calling to his, inviting him to drink from me. I clear my throat and continue in my line of questioning. "So, the bond is only progressed if both parties drink?"

"Yes," Edward answers, flashing me a bit of fang even though he was clearly not angry – it must signify other emotions, then. He stares at my lips, then my neck. "Preferably, at the same time."

I shiver.

I'd never had the opportunity to become sexually aware but even I knew that the thought of a blood exchange with Edward turned me on.

There must be something fundamentally wrong with me to think so.

But he was a vampire and I was his mate.

Again, everything made sense.

My stomach growls again just as I am leaning towards him, intent on finally kissing him and Edward frowns. "I'm being a bad mate again. Hold on," he says, pulling out a sleek black phone that seemed dwarfed in his large hand. He hits a button and the phone automatically dials. "Alice. I need a breakfast," he demands.

"Edward?" What was he doing?

The woman on the other end must ask something, because Edward's brows furrow. He looks at me. "Are you vegetarian?"

"What? No. I love meat," I answer.

"One with a lot of meat, Alice," he tells the woman on the phone. "Yes, I'm sure you're right. The more expensive the breakfast, the better."

I feel my brows raise and I can't help but laugh at his logic.

Edward glances at me in confusion and I wave him off, listening to his one-sided conversation. "As soon as possible. Her body is revolting against her," he exaggerates with a perfectly serious expression. "And an electric blanket, Alice." He hangs up without saying good-bye and smiles at me. "You will not starve."

I roll my eyes.

Like, really roll my eyes at him.

I might even do it twice.

And when he makes a face at me, I bust out laughing collapsing backwards on my bed, holding my ribs when they begin to ache from the hilarity of the last few moments.

And it was so perfect.

Because I knew that this wonderful, over-reacting vampire seemed to be mine.

And that feeling? That _knowing_ that I wouldn't be alone anymore?

It was amazing.

* * *

**A/N: So, I obviously updated a day early. Why? I'm happy! My brother visited today, brought me this awesome German chocolate. Say what you will about how amazing Swedish everything is, but German chocolate? Mind. Blowing.**

**Reviews!**

**LunaDiSangue85 – Ahhhh….I don't know. This Bella is really rational? Lol I don't do angst well so…Bella shall be calm now!**

**Princessnerra – Edward had a lot to say!**

**SrslyGiGi – You shake a fist at me?! I bite my thumb at you ;)**

**Twivampchick – Thank you so much for your review! Totally helped me a bunch!**

**james3142 – She copes! Good lol**

**Lilypad10 – Hope I answered your questions in this chapter!**

**Flavia Ribeiro – Right! Poor Edward! Stupid vampire should have made sure she was dead first, instead of going all catatonic/revenge crazy!**

**Headinthecloudsss – yes! A lot like True Blood. In fact, I've borrowed a lot of concepts for my vampires from mangas and animes, Ann Rice, some SM and a lot from the Sookie Stackhouse vampire books, of which I have only actually read fanfictions of lol**

**IDreamOfLullaby's – You and me both! Well…I'm in love with all my Edwards lol I might be a bit biased, though.**

**XhowtosavealifeX – Ahh Bella/Cullen interactions are coming soon. I think.**

**Debslmac - :D**

**Kaygou – A version of Charlie is in her past lol His name was Simone then, but yeah!**

**CdrIvanova – Nope. Edward was too heartbroken to even think of saving French Bella. He thought her heart had stopped, poor thing. He apparently could have saved her though…**

**Welcome2MyWorldxoxo – Interesting is one of my middle names! I think.**

**twilight-saga-lover95 – Ah, he knows more than he let's on lol**

**Nalia-R – I wanted her to be more brave than previous Bella's. That might also mean she's a bit rash, but that's okay!**

**Lauran24 – I think the fangs are hot, too. I just….had to have them lol**

**Michangelina – Chills?! Just wait to see what I have planned for them!**

**Iamdarcie – Naaah…..Mom doesn't need to see the naughty stuff I write lol**

**LazerBeams – I don't like to linger on situations and neither does this Bella! We think, why draw it out? Get it out in the open!**

**FLOW LIZ – Me. Too!**

**Twilight Rocker 12 – I'm trying to get the chapters out as soon as possible because these characters just won't shut up! Lol**

**Wendemyre – I might borrow from some stuff, but original is what I aim for ;)**

**YesMyRealNameIsBella – Ah, she said no to be stubborn. And, she still had questions. So, for now, no blood drinking lol**

**vampyregirl86 – I think the memory was triggered by him and Emmett and what happened with Paul. It was just…time for her to remember.**

**Maysnrs – Right! She's a Jedi, he's just plain sexy….what better combination could there be? Lol**

**Krystalwinds1990 – Now, you can certainly imagine Edward to be the cannon Twilight one, but I don't lol It's personal preference. I kind of got tired of bronze hair.**

**DoubleFate – Yep! The only SM factor I'm taking is the physiology of their bodies – more stone than flesh, you know.**

**Guest, Ordinary-girl-XD, angelari7, lovestwilight2010, Katherine Jimenez, cbmorefie, jmcfall, dinotopian and tiffyboocullenjonas – thank you so much for reading and reviewing! I'm thrilled that each of you are loving the story!**

**And super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, Edward's spouse – I believe you! I was an ugly baby but my brother wasn't! lol**

**Alright, off to eat lasagna and watch X-Factor!**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it!**

**~cupcakeriot**


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

_**Isabella Swan**_

Alice is nothing like I imagined. I'd assumed she would be the blond girl that was at the diner with Edward's brother and I couldn't have been more wrong. Whereas the other girl was statuesque, Alice was more like me – a waif, a few inches shorter than me, with light brown hair cut in a very 20's inspired bob. It occurred to me that she might have actually _been_ a flapper.

I made a mental note to make it a priority to understand as much as possible about the nature of vampires. Clearly, myths had gotten them all wrong.

They went out in the sun.

And they ate _food_. Though, perhaps that was a supplement to another food source? It was just another question that needed to be answered.

Alice brought two large _expensive_ meals from one of the nicer hotels in Seattle – who knew they did carry out? It was too much food for me but I did my best to eat as much as I could, savoring the rich sausages and sweet bear-claw Danishes under the ever-so-watchful eyes of two vampires. I knew that their eyes were riveted on me and it made me terribly self-conscious.

Their conversation, however, was very interesting. Edward had been opening up each of the heavy-duty Styrofoam containers and examining the contents with great interest. "And you're sure this was the _best_ they had to offer? These eggs are not fully cooked, Alice," he says, looking up, his perfectly angular nose scrunched up a bit.

Alice's eyes are wide. "I was assured they are meant to be served like this."

"It cannot be healthy."

"The humans at the restaurant seemed to enjoy it."

Edward swiftly closes the lid and places it carelessly into the bag it came in. "She will not be eating this," he tells Alice, though his eyes look at me when he speaks and it's clear he meant it as an order.

I narrow my eyes at him, about to argue, but realizing that it was pointless; I don't even like sunny-side-up eggs. I continue relishing my Danish, studiously ignoring them as they bicker like siblings over what humans _should_ and _shouldn't_ be eating. My sausage makes the do-not-eat-this list and Edward makes a move to take it away; I might slap his hand away at the expense of a brief, sharp pain flowing through my fingers.

He might have growled a little at me, petulant.

I may have rolled my eyes again.

Alice giggles. "Oh, you are good for him. Who knew the Pri-"

"Alice, do not continue," he orders.

Promptly, Alice nods and I'm left wondering what the rest of her sentence could be.

And why Edward didn't want me to know something.

Now, I wasn't sure, but I thought perhaps it went against vampire protocol to lie to one's mate. But what did I know? I was just the human in this situation.

Regardless of that unwavering fact, though, I would be quick to make sure Edward knew that certain things – like keeping secrets – would not fly well with me. I had the idea to let him know exactly that as soon as Alice took her leave as I was under the impression that Alice worked for him in some capacity and, really, what boss wants to be reprimanded in front of an employee?

Though, observing them some more, Alice didn't exactly behave like an employee. She was respectful, of course, and relaxed – but I could also detect an undercurrent of reverence for Edward in the way she behaved. She didn't seem to be an old lover. No, it was something more. The amount of respect she had for Edward was akin to how the English nation bowed to their Queen and it struck me as exceedingly odd.

I thought of my Cinderella metaphor and wondered, just for a second, if Edward really _was_ a prince. But I decided that it was a ridiculous notion and brushed it aside – royal vampires? I didn't think so.

Alice is quick to clean up my containers and napkins after I am done. "You eat a lot for a human," she observes. "But your frame is very small. Do you binge?"

"Alice!"

She blinks at Edward, completely innocent, while my face heats up in a mixture of shock and hurt. In passing, I'd heard that very thing my entire life – people had always suspected that I indulged in a past time of poking my head into a toilet and purging the food from my body to keep my willowy figure. I didn't. I never had. There was never a need to, since I was _naturally_ like this. But that didn't stop the girls in my high school gym class, even if I was a few years younger than them. I wasn't sure if it was on account of jealousy or just being catty or genuinely not realizing she was being offensive, but Alice asking that brought back painful memories that I thought I'd buried.

I don't answer her – too embarrassed or mad, though I can't decide which is the prevalent emotion – but I can feel Edward's eyes heavy on my face. Tears sting behind my eyes and I clench my jaw, refusing to let them fall.

Somehow, Edward can sense it – hell, maybe he can _smell_ the tears – and a low growl feels the room. I glance up, watching as he stands tall, towering over Alice, putting himself between me and her line of sight.

Alice, for her part, begins to quake with confused fear.

"You will apologize," Edward orders. His voice is deeper and laced with a rough growl.

A warning.

It makes my stomach drop.

I was quick enough to understand that Edward was about to punish Alice for making me cry.

It was touching.

It was also a little bit scary.

Alice hardly hesitates; her face, more pale than before, crumples in sincere sorrow and she sinks to her knees on the floor and I realize, as Edward steps to the side, that she is bowing to _me_. "My Lady, I am most apologetic. I was not thinking in mortal terms," she whispers, looking up at me. I'm shocked to see light pink tears trailing down her fragile face. "I'm am truly sorry. It is my most sincere wish for my Lady to forgive me."

Edward looks at me with a blank face and I shake my head absently, not understanding what's happening or what he wants me to do but _knowing_ that something was happening in my dorm room that wasn't _normal – _not even by vampire standards.

My mind runs a quick review.

Alice brings a terribly expensive breakfast.

Edward tries to suggest what I should and shouldn't eat.

Alice makes a mindless remark that she obviously didn't consider an insult – she was probably curious and I could understand that. I mean, from my interaction with vampires so far, they didn't seem like they were around humans all that much.

And now, Alice was bowing to me and Edward was baring his fangs at her, hissing out a command while Alice began bawling in fear.

As for myself, I was still confused but one thing was glaringly obvious – Edward held a certain amount of power.

That or he was so crazy that everyone feared him.

My dorm window snaps open and a compactly built blond male vampire enters the room, alert, his dark eyes roving. He spots Alice crying on the floor at my feet and his fangs click down; and then he sees me and the way Edward is still standing to my side and growling and the blond vampire's face becomes resigned. "Sire?"

"Get her out of my sight," Edward growls.

The blond vampire makes a reluctant move forward.

And then someone yells out and it takes me a moment to realize that it was _me_ and that I just said "Wait!"

Three sets of vampire eyes are on me instantly.

I swallow, feeling Edward's tension and Alice's honest-to-God fear.

Then, my verbal-filter apparently flies out the window. "What the hell is happening right now?"

"Alice insulted you," Edward states blandly. "You did not accept her apology and now she must be punished."

The way he speaks chills me to the bone – like punishing people was some everyday occurrence for him.

I had the notion that it probably was.

"What? When did I _not_ accept the apology?"

One of Edward's brows lifts just a smidge.

_Apparently, Vampire Fact Number Four is super-control over facial muscles. _

"You shook your head," he tells me.

I scowl at him, not appreciating his slightly condescending tone. I ignore him altogether and get down on the floor next to Alice; our knees touch and she gasps, looking at me with wide eyes, pink stains on her cheeks. "I accept your apology," I say quietly. "I'm sorry you got scared. I didn't know what was happening. I _still_ don't know. But you shouldn't be _punished_ for no reason."

"My Lady," she gasps again. "No, you cannot possibly apologize to me. I'm not worthy of-"

I'm quick to cut her off. "This carpet is gross," I say, flicking a piece of lint away. "Let's stand up, okay? It's totally forgotten."

Alice studies me for a moment, very slowly wiping the pink tears from her face. She glances up at Edward and then fluidly stands. I'm a few seconds slower on account of my being human, but when I do stand, I am met by Edward's blank face.

I can't decide if he's unhappy or not – and if he is unhappy, is it because of what Alice did or is because I stopped whatever was about to happen to Alice?

Edward waves his hand and both the blond vampire and Alice are out the window in broad daylight.

I cross my arms over my chest. "What was that about?"

"It is the way vampires operate," Edward tries.

I shake my head. "I'm calling bullshit," I say, poking him in the chest.

Disbelief washes over his face as he stares at where I poked him. "Excuse me?"

"That blond guy called you _Sire!_ And what was Alice going on about, calling me _Lady_ and _My Lady_? And bowing down? To _me?_ That's not – Edward, I'm not even a vampire!"

He looks down, jaw clenched. "But you are my mate."

Like that explains everything.

"Should I call you Sire, too?" I snark. "Perhaps _Your Royal Jackass_?"

He growls a little at me.

I think I was supposed to be scared.

I was just too mad at him to consider the possibility of being frightened of his little growl. "You say you're a vampire, but what does that mean, Edward? Why are these people treating you like you're some king? Why are people being punished for making mindless comments?"

He doesn't answer me.

I poke him again in the chest, as hard as I dare, and he doesn't so much as flinch.

I admit to not knowing about these non-mythical vampires who ate food and frolicked about during the day and who apparently had some sort of hierarchy.

I didn't even pretend to remember some of the random vampire lore I picked up from _Interview with a Vampire_ – mostly because I remembered _everything_ about it.

I did, however, do the one thing that I hadn't ever imagined doing.

As soon as I did it, I knew I'd activated some sort of vampire voodoo magic that the creatures had to bend to.

And I was just too mad to give a shit about it.

"Get out of my room," I tell Edward firmly.

Immediately, Edward looks stricken and he reluctantly begins moving to the closest exit, which happened to be the window. "Bella-"

"If you're going to keep secrets, then I want nothing to do with you," I whisper, not able to look at him anymore. I was feeling uncharacteristically emotional, from the nightmare to this little episode that just happened with Alice.

I needed a really long human moment to _process_.

I hear his hands clap onto the wood of my window and the protest of the material as he tries to stay inside but is forced outside by some unseen force. "Bella-"

I allow my eyes to flicker up to his for a second.

His arms are strained and his face is tight.

He is physically fighting the pull out of my room.

I don't have it in me to care.

"Bella, you don't understand," he grits out. "Alice had no right to speak to you in such a way and as your mate, I couldn't allow her to go unpunished. I have to protect you. How can I not? If someone does you wrong, they must be punished and I have to be the one to do it," he rushes out.

I see his fingers slip and tug at the wood; he's begun to leave gouges in the window frame and I'm sure he would soon start attracting the attention of the people in my dorm.

I narrow my eyes at him.

He was trying to blame the obviously twisted morals of his vampire nature on what had just happened?

He didn't care that it would have been wrong to punish Alice.

He didn't care that I didn't understand what was going on.

And he didn't care that he was refusing to tell me important things.

I walk closer to the window, ignoring the look of relief on his face because it hurt me to see it. Instead, I begin to close the window on him. "Stop being so sanctimonious, Edward. It really doesn't suit you."

And as that window closes, I feel like part of my heart closed, too.

Because hearing Edward's weight drop to the grass below, and then hearing his low growls mixed in with the crunching of leaves as he began to pace underneath my window?

It just about broke my heart.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, well, I admit to being a teensy tiny bit AWOL. I meant to post last night but midterms snuck up on me this week and my last ones are tomorrow and this is the soonest I could get the chapter out. I'm pretty braindead from studying. It would probably explain the slight angst.**

**Reviews!**

**Sadie1787 – Lucky you! I'm updating the day you reviewed!**

**Babe Pryor – Ah, hoping for a double update. Well, there should be something this weekend if I'm still mentally able!**

**Kimmie41 – Eh, Bella is sort of emotionally stunted not only from the death of her mom, but also from being so smart and entering college so early. She didn't really get a chance to be a kid. She's mature in a lot of ways, I think, but emotionally, she's a bit impulsive and rash.**

**Lilypad10 – No, the uhh blood exchanges are very much looked forward to by all involved lol**

**SrslyGiGi – Love them forever until they keep secrets, you mean! Lol**

**Glitter Poisoned My Blood – Don't kill anyone! Keep calm! Eat chocolate!**

**Nightlydusk – I do like my reincarnated character**

**Maggiejoma – I'm looking forward to these particular dirty bits too lol**

**james3142 – Ah, if only he was attentive enough to realize keeping secrets is a no-no.**

**CdrIvanova – That part of the myth makes me want to cry it's so sweet lol "Yeah, babe, I knew you were The One because my heart literally told me."**  
**twivampchick – I laughed until I cried, literally. Vampire support groups! Poor things, getting molested all the time….Someone should write a story about that!**

**celia azul – I admit that I've never actually formally researched reincarnation. If you have any suggestions to add in, I'd be happy to see if I can make it more authentic!**

**twilight-saga-lover95 – I love the Sookie Stackhouse fanfiction! I marathon read them! Lol**

**Holidai – The meaty breakfast was cute! I want that, too! Lol**

**FLOW LIZ – Sorry I made you wait so long! :D**

**DoubleFate – Ah, vampires. So smart, so strong, so pretty. So…not rational lol Expensive isn't always better, Edward! Geez!**

**gredelina1 – Swedish and German? Well, well, well…look who gets all the best chocolate! Lol I'm American – I'm obsessed with the stuff. Your review was so sweet!**

**headinthecloudsss – Ah, Edward does not read minds. I figured I had enough going on here without adding that in lol As far as I know, Alice doesn't see the future. And I do actually plan to have that uhmmm version of Bella later on in the story….**

**Valentine Rain – You also quoted me! Lol This is the first fiction that I've been quoted!**

**XhowtosavealifeX – I always hated the glittering vampires a little bit lol But I still wouldn't trade SM books for anything – they gave us the fandom!**

**Danielleteambellaforever – Oh man, I'm just so happy it was Oktober fest time in Washington because I got two Milke bars lol**

**Maysnrs – Another quote! You caught that! Lol With these vampires, they don't need to eat but they can if they want – food, that is!**

**vampyregirl86 – LOL Go ahead and take a break with the awesome reviews. You're so loyal about it!**

**Kaygou – Me too! I wonder when it will happen! Lol**

**YesMyRealNameIsBella – You're right; he didn't know he was coming back but killing himself also wasn't an option for reasons that haven't been revealed yet. Edward would have had to suffer until his obligations were over, the poor vamp. And now that he's got her back, he's gone and messed up!**

**Love M Go Blue – You got me pegged! I can't draw things out! Slow burn doesn't exist for me! How was the vacation?**

**LunaKaleidoscope – Edward's not a virgin but there are also no Tanya's!**

**Krystalwinds1990 – Plus, I just can't imagine a penny being sexy! Ah, oh well, to each her own!**

**whisperwind1886, LazerBeams, Edward's spouse, TwilightVirtuosa, dinotopian, Flavia Ribeiro, debslmac, princessnerra, cbmorefie, Welcome2MyWorldxoxo, pumpkinmykitty and Darkward Darling – Thank you all so much for your loyal reviews! I'm sincerely proud to have each of you as readers! I'm sort of in love with you guys, too! :D**

**And special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, Twilight Rocker 12 – If you ever can, try German chocolate! Swear you won't be disappointed!**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**

**P.S – Please check out the story I'm beta'ing. It's truly fantastic. If you like my stuff, you'll love _Augury by Passionate04!_ She was sweet enough to check up on me when she heard about the Frankenstorm!**


	11. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

_**Isabella Swan**_

I must have moped around in my room for hours. It took a long time for me to move away from the window, though some part of me did find comfort in hearing Edward just right _there_. Sometimes, I could almost feel his intent gaze through the glass though I refused to look down at him.

The most intense feeling was permeating the air around me – I felt like I had found the most precious thing in the world, only to lose it in the next second. Maybe that's what actually happened.

Maybe I_ had_ lost the most precious thing in my life – willingly.

I was the one who sent him away.

I decided that I was being too melodramatic and it was probably because I hadn't gotten good and high in at least a day.

Somehow, it seemed that Edward knew _exactly_ what I was going up here.

The thunderous growl I heard as I lit up Daisy Duck was sure to scare the people in my dorm.

I ignored it as well.

Of course, I knew I couldn't hide forever in my room. It was Sunday and I was due to dinner in an hour and I still had to pick up a few items from the corner store before then, as well as shower the stench of my high off my body. Dad was Navy, after all. I'm certain he would approve of my extracurricular activity even less than Edward apparently did.

I took a quick shower, still toweling off my hair as I entered my dorm room. The room itself still stunk of Daisy Duck but I didn't open the window in fear of Edward taking that as an invitation. I wasn't sure how that vampire voodoo worked, but right now, he wasn't invited and until I could figure out what was going on, he wouldn't be.

I throw on a dark pair of jeans, a box-cut owl sweatshirt and my comfortable boots, ruffling my wet hair and grabbing a few reusable canvas bags from underneath my desk, along with a couple of twenties to stuff in my pocket.

The entire way to the corner store, between Dad's house and the diner, I feel eyes on me – someone following me. It makes my whole body tense as I have no way of knowing if it's Edward or not – and if it is Edward, why is he trying to freak me out? I had the notion that vampires could be stealthy if they wanted to be.

Maybe Edward wanted me to know he was following me.

My time in the store is short as I hurriedly purchase a few essentials like milk, bread and eggs as well as the ingredients that I need to prepare a couple of dinners. My arms are heavy as I exit the store, but I trudge on.

I should have known Edward would never allow it.

As I round the next corner, he appears beside me, along with the compact blond male vampire from earlier. His expression is a mixture of bleak and pained as he hisses out a low order to the other vampire – and I realize that this is what he had done before. His lips barely move and I can hardly hear the sound, but the blond vampire's hands dart out and snag the heavy bags from me.

I make an indignant sound, to which Edward only raises a brow.

"I could have carried those myself," I tell him, raising a brow right back at him. "In fact, I _was_ carrying them myself."

"You do not have to anymore."

I scoff at him, reaching for the bags. The blond vampire steps back, a blur. "I'm not made of China, Edward!"

He blinks at me. "Of course not," he agrees. "You're American, not Chinese."

I stop for a second, gauging the serious expression on his face, not daring to look at his mint green eyes as I wonder if he really meant what he just said. Edward shows no signs of joking.

I laugh.

He smiles in response, eagerly stepping towards me. "I am forgiven?"

Everything about his body language and expression and voice points to one singular idea – he just wants to please me. He's desperate for it.

I stop laughing, slowly frowning at him. "Are you still keeping secrets?"

Edward says nothing, though I can't be sure if it's because he doesn't know how to answer me or if he doesn't have an answer.

I sigh, crossing my arms over my chest, glad that the street around us is relatively empty and a little perturbed that the blond vampire seems to have become a statue, giving us privacy while still easily clutching my bags.

"Edward, I don't do secrets," I tell him.

He nods once, his face carefully blank.

I think he understands what I'm trying to say – that I won't be talking to him or inviting him inside until he's willing to part with information.

I reach for my bags again and instantly, the blond vampire is awake and stepping backwards. My hands go to my hair and I groan in frustration. "I don't have time for this right now. I need to be somewhere, Edward."

"Where are you going?" he whispers, sounding so forlorn it almost breaks my resolve.

"To my Dad's for dinner."

Edward's face instantly brightens and I realize, belatedly, that he thought I might be visiting another man. I shake my head slightly at him, knowing that he had a lot to learn about me.

"We will walk to you then," Edward says, stepping up to my side.

I pause, not sure if this is a good idea or not – showing them where my Dad lives. But they probably can't get inside without an invitation, anyway.

The rest of the walk is at my human pace with the blond vampire shadowing our steps. I glance back at him more than one time. "Who are you?" I ask directly.

His eyes dart to mine then back to Edward, as if looking for permission.

I see Edward nod.

The blond vampire smiles widely, calm seeping out of him. "I am Jasper, my Lady."

Ignoring the way he addresses me, I ask, "And what do you do, Jasper?"

"I am a guard," he says smoothly.

I notice that he does not say whom he is guarding.

I don't bother asking either as I stop at the gate of Dad's property. I hold my hands out for the bags, tapping my foot impatiently. As Jasper carefully hands them to me, a shoot a look at Edward. "You can't just stand here all night, you know. Someone will notice."

He smiles very slightly at me. "I will see you later."

"But will _I _see _you_?" I shoot back, alluding to his antics with my window.

"Perhaps," he answers, stepping backwards.

Before I have a chance to respond, both Edward and Jasper are gone, disappearing in thin air.

_Vampire speed_.

I sigh and pivot, pushing the gate open with my hip and letting myself into Dad's house. His television is loud, broadcasting CNN, as I drop off the canvas bags of groceries in the kitchen. I peek into the living room, spying Dad in his recliner. "Hey."

He mutes the channel, smiling at me. "Hey, kid. I thought you would be late."

"Long line," I lie.

Dad nods. "What's on the menu tonight?"

"I was thinking Chicken Pita sandwiches," I tell him, preparing myself for the way his face scrunches up when he learns I'll be feeding him something healthy.

On cue, his eyes squint at me. "That's not fried, is it?"

"In your dreams, Dad," I laugh, feeling lighter and still relishing in my high. I make my way back to the kitchen, automatically cleaning out the fridge for any week-old food, checking that the freezer is stocked with lasagna and premade burgers and loading it up with the new purchases, leaving out what I'll need to cook with. I turn on the oven, spreading out diced chicken and frozen fries on a cookie sheet, putting a generous amount of black pepper on each.

My hands move on autopilot as I chop up fresh celery and carrots, while my mind is roving over details about Edward that I was putting together.

Jasper responded to Edward much like Alice had – instantly, without question. Not that Edward left any room for questioning; it was clear to me that he operated on giving orders and expecting them to be fulfilled. I probably drive him nuts since I didn't exactly _do_ orders.

I knew there were several positions in the world in which people gave orders and coupled with Alice's reverence for Edward, that only left a few options available.

And I'm pretty sure she didn't try to say, _Oh great dictator._

As I mix the fresh vegetables in with mayonnaise and a bit of sour cream and prepare the pita bread, spreading the inside with spicy Greek hummus, I start remembering all my interactions with Edward.

Yes, he did seem to have that sort of spoiled, I'll-get-exactly-what-I-want mentality.

And then he'd said something about _duties_.

My hands stop.

I stop – breathing, thinking, and moving.

Edward is a prince.

It makes perfect sense.

And I'd thought that vampires being royalty was absurd – but it was clear I was wrong, wasn't it?

Edward was a prince and Jasper was his guard and Alice was some sort of hand-maiden or something.

And he thought I was his mate.

No, he _knows_ I am his mate, of that I am sure. He has complete conviction in that. And so do I, because there's no way I can even consider denying the way he and I respond to each other, even if I'm kind of being a bitch to him right now.

I shake myself out of those thoughts, knowing that I could be getting confirmation whether Edward liked it or not tonight. Instead, I force myself to focus on the cooked diced chicken being mixed in with the vegetables and putting that concoction inside the pita bread. I fix up two plates, grab a bottle of water and head into the living room, where Dad has put on a recording of Jeopardy.

We answer the backwards questions as we eat, Dad playfully giving me the stink eye every time I get an answer correct. "You're cheating," he accuses.

"Hush, old man," I tell him with a smile, turning back to the show. "Oh! What is _Pride and Prejudice_?" I feel Dad's eyes on me and I look up. "What?"

"You met someone," he states.

I feel my eyes go wide. "Dad-"

"Who is he?"

I study Dad's face, the sly smile and bright, happy eyes. "His name is Edward."

Dad nods. "And?"

I feel my face flush hot. "Dad, I'm not going to gossip with you about some boy."

Dad laughs. "Of course not," he agrees. "But you did meet someone. I'm happy to hear it."

"You are?"

Dad's eyes are tinged with sadness as he nods at me. "Yeah, Bella, I am. I don't want you to be alone. You've always been so involved with your academics and I've been so proud of that, proud that you could excel in that way and still work full time jobs," he says, reaching out to pat my hand. "But I always thought something was missing from your life and I think you knew it, too."

My heart flutters and a twinge pushes through my stomach. I hadn't realized Dad noticed or that he was concerned about my lack of romantic life. I hadn't even been concerned about it, not really. Victoria always made sure I had some fun and I felt like I had a purpose with my education. Until now – until Edward – I honestly wasn't interested in a relationship.

And that's what it was with Edward, right? I may be his mate by vampire standards, but _I'm_ human and I was just starting a relationship with him. Maybe that was partly the cause of my own annoyance with his secrets – because that's not how I wanted to start a relationship with anyone. I could also silently acknowledge that keeping secrets put me on edge because of Mom; she hadn't told anyone about her illness until it was too late and as a result, I was very wary of people who kept secrets.

I refocus on Dad's waiting face. "He's wonderful," I tell him honestly. "I think you'd like him."

Dad nods. "I do expect to meet this boy," he says gruffly.

"You will," I promise, silently add that the meeting would only take place _after_ Edward confirmed my concrete suspicions about his place in the world.

The rest of my visit is spent with Dad as we watch another game of Jeopardy with Dad's good-natured teasing at my constant correct answers, though he does accuse me of cheating a few times, to which I stick my tongue out at him.

It's late when I head back to my dorm, having made a trip upstairs to grab my heavy winter pea coat before cleaning up the kitchen and giving Dad a kiss good-bye. Again, I feel eyes on me but these are different – I suspect Jasper is carefully following me.

I wonder, very briefly, where Edward is – but that's unfair.

I sent him away.

Still, I missed him and knew that being away from him could not be a common occurrence.

And then, reluctantly, I accept that I'd been terrible to him, heartlessly sending him out of my room and closing the windows.

I'd been mean to him and I felt horrible for it.

And that feeling of being _wrong_, of knowing that each of us had made mistakes?

It was freeing.

I hurry my gait, eager to get to my dorm and wait for Edward to appear, even if it took all night.

I had to apologize.

And then, I had to get answers from a likely prince.

* * *

**A/N: Woot woot. Update! Ah, a change of heart. Our Bella is nothing if not logical. Sure, she might be a bit quick to react with her emotions, but it's understandable. Just because you are a genius with your mind, doesn't meant you're a genius with your heart!**

**Reviews:**

**james3142 – Even a Prince has a weakness lol His just happens to be a little human ;)**

**Kimmie41 – Pshhhh, Bella's gonna get her answers!**

**Princessnerra – The first real guess! Lol Yes, yes he is…**

**Sadie1787 – lol Right? He can't get out of this just because she's his mate!**

**Valentine Rain – Edwaaaard! You got some 'splain'in to do!**

**CdrIvanova – Yes! Pink tears! I like them too lol**

**celia azul – Correct! Edward's overbearingness can totally be attributed to his birth and vampireness!**

**sujari6 – Yep! This Bella is no nonsense!**

**Nessiehugs – Yes! Princely Edward and his Bella, who can bring him to his knees…**

**LunaDiSangue85 – Hmm, a spanking? Lol**

**Krystalwinds1990 – I believe the "invited/uninvited vampire rule" comes from Anne Rice…**

**twilight-saga-lover95 – Mmm, I'll explain that in the next chapter. But there are different ways to be invited in…**

**KayKrisU – Going from kicking yourself to spaz dancing? Tres bon!**

**FLOW LIZ – Ironic how you're a sucker for Edward and that he's…well, a sucker lol**

**Flavia Ribeiro – I agree, she was a bit harsh…**

**Maggiejoma – LOL Yes! Bella will teach him everything he needs to know!**

**Dinotopian – Ah, thanks for the info about the blog – I think the links need to be fixed! Anyway, the original stories are the same ones on fanfiction, just with my original characters' names. Sooo…you are reading them, I guess? Lol**

**Michangelina – Glad you're still friggin' lovin' it! Where'd you go!?**

**DoubleFate – Gotta love fails, period! Lol**

**Lilypad10 – I think it's only fair that humans have a little bit of power, too. Vampires are all strength and speed and they have no protection in SM-World. But being able to uninvited one? Instant protection!**

**Love M Go Blue – Yep! I borrowed a little vampire lore from everyone, mashed it all together annnd…tada!**

**Headinthecloudsss – Ah, don't worry! Lol I should be back to the mid-week, weekend update thing now that midterms are over…You're review was awesome! Yes, there are definitely somethings to explain about being a mate or royalty in the vampire world. Slowly…more to come soon…**

**YesMyRealNameIsBella – Didn't get Frankenstorm at all, but my heart goes out to New Jersey, New York and Maryland and especially Staten Island. You're right, Alice didn't mean it like it sounded, but she should have thought first!**

**scareDcat – Stay intrigued!**

**Twilight Rocker 12 – Oh darn, you got me with your predictions!**

**Kaygou – Perceptive. Yes, Alice and Jasper are mates but even that wouldn't be able to save Alice from a punishment…**

**Pumpkinmykitty – OMG, someone going 50 Shades on Edward?! Lol**

**angelari7, Nightlydusk, Edward's spouse, cbmorefie, lacysangels, Mireads, tiffyboocullenjonas and debslmac - :D I'm so happy you are all loving this story! I'm honored that each of you review each chapter! I have the best readers in the world**

**And a special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, vampyregirl86 – Ah, I think the winds in Alaska had something to do with the earthquake that hit B.C Canada?**

**And now, for an issue regarding a "guest" review. I'd just like to say that I could, of course, block anonymous reviews but I don't think that's fair. Anyway, this was upsetting, not because it was _brutally honest_ but because it was just plain _mean_. There is a difference between the two.**

**_Guest: YOU are beat'ing a story? You.  
You - whose stories illustrate without a doubt that you couldn't possibly even  
be proofreading your won work, let alone then finding and correcting any  
errors?  
You - who constantly switches verb tense, often within the same paragraph?  
You - whose stories constantly have storyline errors and things that  
absolutely make no sense whatsoever?  
You - who would apparently not know a grammatically correct sentence if it  
came up and bit ya in the arse?  
Someone should go warn that poor author - you're likely to correct things that  
aren't even wrong because you wouldn't know the difference!_**

**Dear Guest,**

**I'm calling you out on your rudeness. Each person I beta for understands that I am in no way an expert but I do have a great grasp on _editing_ a story. Your review was a sad, cowardly attempt at bullying and I'm not going to put up with it. If you have a problem with the way I write, then I have a solution for you – don't read it. I can happily live my life without having you as a reader.**

**Rae**

**A thank you to the wonderful Claire Bear on Facebook who was totally on my side and hates reviewers like this! In light of this, I've decided to open up another strain of communication between myself and you guys; Skype. If you would like to IM me on Skype, you can find me under:**

**rae . kingsley  
**

** (It'll help if you look for Tacoma, Washington and take out the spaces!)**

**As always, be brutally honest (not barbarically rude!). I can take it (and I can give it back just as good).**

**~cupcakeriot**


	12. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

_**Isabella Swan**_

I quickly shed my coat, hanging it off the back of my desk chair, and move over to my window, undoing the little latch and opening it as wide as it can go. And then, I walk backwards, sitting myself on my bed and begin to wait.

Maybe a minute passes before Edward is lifting himself to sit on the ledge of my window, careful not to enter the room and looking at me with wary, hopeful eyes. "Isabella?"

I observe his stiff posture and wonder why he hasn't just come in the room already. I opened the windows for him – didn't that work before? "Why are you just sitting there?"

"You have to invite me in."

I feel my brows furrow. "What? But you've come in before through the window…"

Edward pulls a face. "Not exactly. I just opened it, stuck my head inside. I've only been in your dorm once and that was by silent invitation."

"Silent invitation?"

"There are varying levels of invites."

I stand, crossing my arms over my chest and staring at him, letting my eyes connect with his, violet meeting mint. "Come inside, Edward."

Instantly, his feet are on the floor and he is coming towards me; I am engulfed in his hug, his body shuddering with fine tremors, his nose pressed into my neck. "I have missed you."

I hold my tongue against the _stalker_ comment that pops in my head and allow my body to melt into the cold strength of his own. An immense feeling of true comfort seems to seep into every limb of my body and I feel like I'm breathing easier – I hadn't noticed that I'd genuinely missed him, too. The solace that happens when our bodies are in contact is mind blowing and I want nothing more than to just forgive him, move on without my secrets and settle into my life as his mate, welcoming any and all changes that come with that title.

But my brain is much stronger than my body and I find myself pushing out of his arms, ignoring his brief expression of hurt as I reject his touch. "What is a silent invitation, Edward? How does all of that work?"

"Isabella…"

"Are your really going to keep this from me? You're going to keep secrets?" I demand, forcing my voice to reflect my growing rage through a loud whisper.

His face hardens. "No. I do not like what happens when you get mad at me," he says plainly. "You get mad when I keep secrets, so I will not do that anymore."

My lips twitch at his logic, even as my short-fuse temper begins to settle down. The need he had to please me – which I suspected was a vampire thing because I had never seen any man try as hard as Edward does – was unexpected and ruled the way his mind worked. "So, then, what is it?"

He pushes his hair off his forehead, momentarily stunning me with the vivid mint of his eyes. "A silent invitation is just that – silent. It's an open window, a cracked door, a wave of the hand. It's a loophole that we can use."

"So then why only open the window? Why not come inside?"

He shrugs. "You were always quick to close the window."

I nod, understanding that to a certain degree. I was very aware of how much information had been thrown at me in the last seventy-two hours and I knew that, though it made sense now, my mind would need weeks to wrap around all of it. "And the rest of the invitations…those are verbal?"

"And the most binding," he says. "Silent invitations don't last forever. They can disappear as soon as they come, like with your window. But verbal invitations? Once I am invited inside, I can come in anytime I like. And if my invitation is rescinded, I can't come back inside until you give another invitation."

"So you can come in anytime you want now?"

Edward grins, a wicked pulling at the corners of his mouth that made him look positively devilish – and far too attractive. The smile showed the very tips of his slightly larger incisors, the very teeth that elongate into those dangerous fangs.

The cold October air seeps into the room and I shiver; immediately, Edward moves to the window, his hands blurring as he closes and latches the glass and pulls the cheap curtains over the expanse, launching us into darkness. He clicks on my lamp light and wraps me up in my blanket, guiding me onto the bed before I can truly process just how fast he's moved. "Thank you."

"My pleasure," he murmurs, pushing hair off my face.

It's like, once he got the invitation inside, he was taking it for all he was worth. He didn't hesitate to touch me, to care for me and while my logic deemed it all just _too soon_, I knew that this was how Edward was meant to be naturally.

Or, well, as naturally as a vampire can be.

He sits beside me, letting his leg press up against my own.

I study his profile as we sit in quiet silence.

"Edward?"

He looks at me and there is a level of apprehension in his eyes – like he knows what I'm about to ask him. Maybe he does. Maybe it's like a vampire instinct thing.

"Are you a prince?"

He blinks.

And then, more slowly than I had ever seen him move, he nods. "Does this change the way you feel about me?"

I'm startled by the question because I don't understand it – am I supposed to feel less? More? Am I supposed to run away screaming? I thought I'd already told him before that nothing could make me run away; the pull between us was too great, too obvious and, while I might get supremely pissed at him, I didn't think I had it in me to ever run away.

"Why would it change anything?"

Edward winced. "Perhaps not the way you feel about me, then."

I shake my head at him. "You're not still keeping secrets, are you?"

His face is blank as his hand reaches out to carefully stroke my cheek, as if I really am made of China. A small smile, one that barely shows his white teeth, comes across his face. "I do believe I have learned my lesson, princess."

I scrunch my nose at him. "Princess?"

"It's a fitting endearment, right?" Edward winks.

"I'm not a princess, Edward," I needlessly remind him. I was certain there wasn't a royal cell in my body.

Suddenly, Edward is pressing me against the mattress, the side of his body anchoring me to my bed as his face hovers over mine. His lips press against my cheek, my jaw, my chin and his eyes do not leave mine – and I can't even comprehend moving my own eyes away from him. "You are _my_ Princess," he purrs, the soft, rolling vibration from his chest sending chills down my spine.

The sound was so undoubtedly primal it made my head spin, my heart pound.

It even made my lower abdomen twist in anticipation – for what, I didn't know.

Edward inhales sharply, his cold hand carefully moving to hold my hip, his eyes smoldering, darkening into emerald green. "My Isabella," he purrs again.

He leans down, running his perfectly angular nose down my neck so that his lips can gently suck on my collarbone. My heart jumps and my breathing accelerates – I have no desire to stop what's happening right now.

I got my answers.

I believe he won't be keeping secrets.

My mind is satisfied and my newly emerging sexuality is taking the reins, controlling my actions and my words. My skin is sparking with electricity every time he touches me – I feel like a live wire.

His teeth scrape against my shoulder and I gasp, suddenly _needing_ to be as close to him as possible – my mind instantly decided that this must be the physical effects of being the mate of a vampire. My body recognized him, craved him, acknowledged him.

I wasn't sure I even had a chance of fighting against the pull – or if I even wanted to.

My blood belonged to him and so did my body.

I was certain my heart wasn't too far behind.

"Edward."

I don't know my own voice – or this breathy, pleading version of it.

Edward moves his face up again, his eyes connecting hotly with mine, the dark green startling and arousing all at once. "May I kiss you?" Edward breathes.

I can't think of a reason to deny him; my lips part and I feel my neck straining towards him, unable to reach him any other way since he has my body trapped underneath his.

His mouth gently caresses my own, simply smoothing over my lips; I feel him inhale and then I hear the distinct sound of his fangs clicking down. They brush against my lower lip, very slightly scraping against me.

My entire body shivers, moving against Edward, feeling every inch of his cold, hard, strong build.

And that is the exact moment that Edward seems to lose control.

His lips are hard against mine, coaxing my mouth to open so that his tongue can greet my own.

His taste is indescribable – all I know is that it's deep, honeyed and dangerous.

And I want more of it.

My hands move to his hair, twining into the thick locks and tugging harshly at the nape of his neck, pulling him closer. We are exchanging breaths as we kiss and it is cool and slick and sweet and perfect, even as his fangs scrape against my skin and I feel the blood rush into my lips.

Edward pulls back for a moment, his hand moving up from my hip, between my breasts and to my neck, angling my chin in the other direction. Just before he moves to plaster my neck with starved, open-mouthed kisses, I see the hauntingly beautiful feral expression on his face – the paler skin, the wider eyes, the darker lips and the long fangs that made indents just above his chin.

And then my eyes are closing and a soft, foreign moan is escaping my throat as Edward's mouth covers my neck – sucking, licking, pulling, scraping.

My back arches as he moves to the point between my shoulder and neck and, as my entire body moves to press against him, I feel a certain hardness that sends thrills of excitement through my body.

"Oh, God," I breathe, letting my body rub against his again.

Edward growls into my neck, pushing his hips against my own and increasing his attention to my neck. "Mine."

I'm aware of my panting, aware of my pulsing blood that is almost literally calling out to him – I can feel my heart accelerate with every pass of his lips.

"Mine," he says again, a softer growl that eases into a purr as he slowly thrusts his hips against mine. My legs have moved to accommodate the shape of his body, to cradle him between my thighs and he's right _there_ – where no man had ever been before. The pressure is mind blowing, even with two sets of jeans between us, and Edward has managed to get the perfect angle.

He sucks on my pulse point, slowly grinding against me, moving in just the right way. "Mine," he purrs, licking at the spot he'd surely bruised as he pulls back just far enough to let our eyes connect.

I swallow, still panting, slowly falling into the sensation of his hips against my own, feeling my body wind up in a foreign way. "Yours," I tell him.

"My mate," he answers back, his voice morphing into a growl. As if to emphasize, he increases the pressure of his hardness against my clit, thrusting hard against me, listening to me moan back in response.

"Yes," I gasp. "Yes, yours."

And I know what he wants.

It's what I want, too.

It's what we both _need_.

And now that things were cleared up, I had no intentions of denying him or myself. I'd never been one to hesitate – I made my decisions, I stuck to them, consequences be damned – and I wasn't about to hesitate any more on this.

I tilt my head back, exposing my neck again as I arch my hips underneath his. "Yours," I gasp again, a coil tightening within my body.

Edward isn't one to hesitate, either.

His hips easily keep up their grinding pace as he lowers his mouth to my neck again, this time carefully licking at the point where he would bite. I feel his cool breath against my neck and then, the smooth pierce of his fangs, the pull of my blood and the soft sensation of his mouth moving against my throat – and I lose myself, my back arching, my body shuddering, my eyes closing tight as every limb, every finger and every toe is encompassed by wave after wave of euphoria.

Edward growls into my throat, his lips thrusting in an uneven pattern before he stops short and his body trembles against my own.

As I recover, I feel him gently remove his fangs and the languid lapping of his tongue against my neck. He is carefully resting his weight between my thighs as he pulls back, licking his lips before suddenly biting into his own wrist.

"Mine," he purrs, bringing his wrist to my mouth.

And as the first drops of his thick, sweet blood pour into my mouth, my body shudders again in a small, brief orgasm.

I don't take much blood but I do instantly feel the effects of it – I see better, I hear better and my skin feels more sensitive. Edward's eyes are closed and his hips circle against my own again, a soft groan leaving his mouth as he pulls his wrist away, the wound already closed.

Edward doesn't move off me. He is content to deeply inhale the scent of us in the air and cover my body with his own.

And as I breathe deeply, catching my breath, I look at his face, his barely flushed cheeks, his red mouth and his mint eyes – and I feel _good_.

* * *

**A/N: Woooooo! If these guys were Sims, I would just say that they totally Woo-Hoo'd lol**

**Reviews!:**

**angelari7 – You are so right!**

**james3142 – Well, I feel like she overreacted lol But then…I don't….**

**DJW Isabella Cullen – You were so right! I love your penname, by the way. What does the DJW stand for?**

**LunaDiSangue85 – I think Edward got uhmmm more than a hug. He's good lol**

**vampyregirl86 – Pshh, that's because Spock was the shiz!**

**Princessnerra – I think he'll be more honest from now on!**

**Love M Go Blue – LOL You can have the sweatshirt! I love your super-long reviews! And touching falls under the silent invitation thing – kind of.**

**Maggiejoma – you are probably right, but I would feel bad for the butterflies lol**

**Angelwandpk – Aww! One of the best? I could cry!**

**Twilight Rocker 12 – I totally adore you! And we share the same Twilight-Prince Edward love!**

**CdrIvanova – That Charlie. He's a good dad, huh?**

**Dinotopian – I'm pretty sure I fixed it! I think the blog site updated or something because all my links were busted and I was just like, wtf? Lol**

**Maysnrs – I love your soap box! And you're right – Prince Edward was sort of obvious lol**

**o0S0o – I hope it was explained in this chapter but she allowed him in her room a few chapters ago and, like he said, that was a silent invitation; so she could totally tell him to skedaddle! Thanks for joining the Rioteers!**

**Wendemyre – I like your high horse! I have the best readers ever!**

**FLOW LIZ – Ah, not Volterra in this story! His "castle" will be explained later!**

**MiSSnicole – They totally sucked each other's blood – and it was hot! Lol**

**Kaygou – Yeah! Get 'em Bella!**

**00chely00 – Getting some answers, getting some blood. Bella had a good day! Lol**

**Sadie1787 – It was pretty fail but at least he tried! Lol**

**Edward's spouse – Sound advice! I hope to only please those who are pleased by me!**

**Flavia Ribeiro – Tell the husband hello! That was kind of really awesome lol Glad you flove it ;)**

**twilight-saga-lover95 – LOL I didn't think it was too harsh either until about a week later and then I was like, that was kind of mean, Bella :p Rose and Em will be coming soon!**

**Latecomer-Guest – Thank you for reading! Your review was so totally sweet!**

**TwilightVirtuosa – Yes! These vampires can turn people!**

**LunaKaleidoscope – Yes! Bella is taking it in stride, mostly because I don't deal with dramatic drama lol**

**Headinthecloudsss – lol I loved the long review and I understood what you were trying to say. Edward was afraid of breaking his back by carrying her bags!**

**B – Stay on the edge of your seat but don't fall off!**

**celia azul – I know! So I figured Bella should be super stunted since she's so smart. Makes total sense**

**Valentine Rain – HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Belated, of course.**

**BMSCullen – Perhaps Jasper should have bowed…lol I'm thinking about it!**

**Pumpkinmykitty – Yay! You see that Bella isn't a static character!**

**YesMyRealNameIsBella – I hope your life gets back to normal! Sandy was just a big old meanie!**

**Krystalwinds1990 – The American/Chinese comment was one of my better ones lol**

**Kimmie41 – Glad you're enjoying this!**

**Fallunder - :))**

**Debslmac - :D**

**And super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, Michangelina – If I could get to NY and Jersey I would totally volunteer but I'm stuck on the other side of the country! I hope things pick up for you!**

**Alright, I'm off to put some tuna in pita bread and watch ohh….Criminal Minds lol**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it (and my readers will maul you if your mean)!**

**~cupcakeriot**


	13. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

_**Isabella Swan**_

I hadn't ever been this close to anyone, let alone this close to Edward. The symmetry of his face was unnerving in that it clearly spoke to the supernatural element he seemed to carry with him; his cold, pale skin was so translucent that I could see the tiny blue and grey veins around his temples. His face is near mine and he seems to be breathing in the air I exhale – and I don't care.

I crave his weight on my body.

I'm comforted by the mint of his eyes, by the slow pulse of his heart that seems to be echoed by my own.

One side of his mouth lifts into a willful smirk. "Had we been naked, you would smell so much like _me_, princess."

My face heats in an unfamiliar blush – one that is embarrassment combined with arousal. I purse my lips at him. "Is that something you would enjoy?"

His fangs click down. "You have no idea."

I swallow, my mind backtracking to my first kiss, first orgasm and my first gift of blood that had happened not ten minutes ago. My heart hammers in my chest – I want it all over again.

Edward chuckles, pressing a slow kiss beneath my ear. "It's natural to want me, princess."

Relief floods through me, though I'd had no indication of my inner-panic – though, I suppose, it would only be logical to suddenly be concerned about how much I _want_ him when, only a day ago, I'd been absolutely furious with him. "Is it a mate thing?"

Edward moves his weight off me, rolling, pulling me with him so that my cheek is pillowed against his nearly-silent chest. He waits for his slow heart beat before he begins speaking. "Yes, Bella. There are other mate _things_, too," he says, softly stroking my cheek. "Now that you've had my blood, you'll want more of it."

"And you'll be able to find me, whenever, wherever, right?"

Edward seems shocked. "You remember."

I smile wryly. "You have no idea," I mutter, repeating his earlier statement.

He laughs at me, squeezing me gently. "You'll want other things, too. Like my body."

I blush again, my attention being drawn to the slick sensation between my legs. I push up from his chest, muttering something about going to the bathroom. Edward watches me go, amused, making no move to clean the mess that must be in his own pants.

I rush to the bathroom down the hall, grateful that it's empty again. I quickly clean myself and take a deep breath, relishing the very human moment that my peers had been having for years. Closing the stall door, I glance at myself in the mirror, my mouth dropping open just a bit.

Everything about my appearance had been enhanced – my skin was flushed, my eyes round and vibrant, my hair half a shade darker and thicker. I looked astonishingly healthy and _happy_ and I couldn't help but smile, observing the pouting fullness of my darker pink lips. My fingers move my hair aside and search my neck, slowly feeling for the place where Edward's fangs had pierced my skin – not even a shadow of a bruise appears anywhere. My neck is flawless.

I hum to myself, my mind piecing together what had just happened and what had surely happened when I took his blood – it must have healed me along with making me look more healthy.

Leaning against the sink, I stare at myself – wondering how I'm absorbing this so well and thinking that it might have a lot to do with the whole _past-life_ thing. After all, though I had been incredibly mad at Edward for lying, the pull to him, the draw and familiarity had never diminished.

I decided, in the exact moment, that I would stop questioning all of it – why I was reacting this way, why it felt so right – everything.

Being born again, remembering my own death?

It had to be more than fate.

It was out of my hands.

I was going to enjoy my life as it was – the new parts, the old parts and the parts to come.

I wash my hands and head back to my room, my eyes widening when I see Jasper holding out a damp rag in one hand and a paper bag in another. I blink, looking at Edward, who was popping open the button of his jeans.

Clearly, he _was_ going to clean up – and apparently had no qualms about showing his personal guard his body.

But, then again, judging by the particular boldness of the vampires I had met so far, it seemed to be a culture issue – vampires had no need for modesty with their bodies.

This logical assurance doesn't take away from the oddness of the scene, though; and neither does Jasper's deep bow towards me. "My Lady."

"Jasper," I nod, stepping towards Edward. "Will you excuse us for a moment?"

Instantly, Jasper is gone and Edward is looking at me with a expression of extreme confusion. He studies my face for a moment, then drops his hands from the fly of his jeans. "I have done something wrong."

"It's not wrong," I tell him quickly. "But there is a bathroom," I hint.

Realization dawns on his face. "You do not want anyone else to see my body," he says cheekily.

I scowl at him, refusing to confirm. "There's a bathroom," I say again.

Edward laughs, brushing his lips against mine and slipping out of the room to, I assume, use the bathroom. By the time he gets back, a multitude of questions are on the tip of my tongue. He's hardly in the room before I let them loose.

"How did Jasper come inside?"

"You never took away his silent invitation."

"You were about to clean yourself in front of him?"

Edward shrugs. "We do not concern ourselves with nudity."

I nod, having suspected as much. "Will he always call me his Lady?"

Edward comes closer, kissing my cheek. "Of course."

"If I'm your mate, what does that make me to…your people?"

"There is no _if_. You _are_ my mate," Edward responds, moving to lounge against my bed. "And to my people, it makes you an unofficial princess. For now."

I lay down beside him, feeling comfortable with my body and his body and the way they press together. He's so much larger than me; his feet hang off the edge of the bed and, while standing, his has a least a foot of height over me. He's also built much larger and it makes me feel small and delicate. "For now?"

Edward's fingers run through my hair absently. "Yes. I'll need to claim you as mine in front of the kingdom soon, princess."

I blink at him, shifting my weight so that I am laying across his chest on my stomach, my eyes level with his chin. "Like, present me?"

Edward grins, his mint eyes lighting up. "Exactly, princess," he says, wrapping his heavy arms around my waist. "My entire kingdom must know who you are and what you mean to me."

I smile involuntarily, not exactly liking the thought of being shown around like a prize winning pet, but appreciating his pride. "And how big is this kingdom of yours?"

Edward shrugs underneath me. "Just North America."

_Just North America_.

"The continent or northern America?"

Edward looks at me strangely. "The continent, princess."

The air leaves my lungs as I consider the logistics of that large of a territory – Mexico, Canada and the United States all belonged to Edward and his family. There was no telling how many vampires it included – thousands? "That's a large territory," I finally say.

"Not as large as the Asia's," he says. "Or the Russian's."

That's true.

"How does it all work?"

"My curious little mate," Edward says proudly. "Each continent has a head family of sorts and each country or territory within the continent is assigned a sort of leader and within that, the leaders break down their territory into areas, which are monitored by a head vampire. My family is the royalty of North America, for example, but we have an Alpha leader for Canada, Mexico and America and then a Beta leader for each providence in Canada, each state in America and each area of Mexico."

I nod, instantly understanding how they organize themselves. "It's very complicated."

"Yes," he replies. "But it is fair and easy to rule."

"What about your castle?"

Edward laughs. "A castle?"

I pick lint off his shirt. "No castle, then?"

"Hardly, Bella," he chuckles. "A fairly large home in Canada, yes. But no castle. No coffins, either," he says, winking.

"So you do sleep, then?"

Suddenly, I am underneath Edward. "Would you like to find out?"

I inhale sharply, my blood racing in my veins.

Edward laughs jovially. "Your blood so calls to me," he says, leaning down to inhale deeply at the base of my throat.

Heart thundering in my chest, I whisper, "Are you thirsty now?"

He shakes his head. "I am old. I do not require blood often," he answers.

Part of me is a bit disappointed.

The other part lets out a large rumble – the sound of my own hunger amusing to Edward. He presses his hand against my stomach. "Your body is again trying to revolt."

"I'm just hungry, Edward."

His eyes are wide, happy. "I'd be a bad mate if I allowed this hunger to continue. Would you allow me to escort you to dinner?"

* * *

**A/N: A little bit of a shorter chapter but I'm sick and my fingers are cold sooo…extra page mid-week! Also, I was rec'ed on a FB group, so THANK YOU!**

**Reviews:**

**Singingcaro – Great review! I was going to do something(s) like you did, but I'm not that creative.**

**Aabc – I'm happy that you're loving it! Welcome to Blood.**

**mamacat20 – You're probably right ;)**

**Kimmie41 – Only kinda!? Lol**

**brighteyes2889 – Purring Edward is always good in my book lol**

**Holidai – Yes! His royalty should be a factor, not the main, but it is important.**

**Jamieannaelisabeth – Edward is a piece of something, alright lol**

**Princessnerra – Progress is always good! Especially this kind of progress!**

**angelari7 – I actually think my first real vampire movie was the Little Vampire on Disney lol**

**Lilypad10 – the bond isn't forever, yet!**

**host312 – Happy I've intoxicated you! Lol**

**DJW Isabella Cullen – That's a great rule to have for the pen names!**

**CdrIvanova – I always thought there should be more than one invitation!**

**james3142 – OMG, Yummy is right! Lol**

**Guest – Part one of three! Lol Completed!**

**Krystalwinds1990 – Yes, his logic is pretty solid lol Kind of.**

**twilight-saga-lover95 – Victoria and James are good guys lol I want a vampire boyfriend, too! Lol**

**Sadie1787 – He probably suspects it….I haven't decided if he he knows or not.**

**Love M Go Blue – Uhmmm distracted would be the word I would use lol**

**Maggiejoma – He's revealing his secrets and other things lol**

**Glitter Poisoned My Blood – Ah, another psychic. What do you predict now?**

**Headinthecloudsss – Good question! Lol Are made vampires as strong as born vampires when they are first made? No. All vampires grow stronger the longer they are around.**

**Flavia Ribeiro – I was always bummed that the real Edward and Bella could never exchange!**

**SrslyGiGi – Hell, this Edward could stay all day, everyday and never leave! Lol**

**Twilight Rocker 12 – I'm your favorite person?! YAY!**

**Kaygou – I can't wait either! Lol**

**vampyregirl86 – Oh God lol I guess I'm glad you got some?**

**YesMyRealNameIsBella – I didn't catch it, but I loved the "Fifth Harmony" one.**

**B – Ha! You fell off your seat!**

**LunaDiSangue85 – AC in this weather? Please, I think we need the heater again!**

**FLOW LIZ – Pshhh, I don't think of the real Cinderella lol I made my own!**

**Pumpkinmykitty – LOL I made you smoke a cigarette. Hilarious.**

**Michangelina – Well, NY is the greatest city in the world lol**

**Dinotopian, solidae26, Valentine Rain, Edward's spouse, sexymama25, debslmac, VAlvr04, Mireads and 00chely00 – Thank you all for your reviews! I'm so excited that everyone thoroughly enjoyed the last chapter! :D**

**And superspecial shout out to the first review of the last chapter, TwilightVirtuosa – Thank you, thank you. I think it was nice, too!**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**


	14. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

_**Isabella Swan**_

"You're sure this _diner_ is healthy?"

I glance sideways at Edward, at the skeptical look on his aristocratic face and the slight scrunch of his nose. Before leaving the dorm, he'd been adamant about bundling me up in a scarf, hat and gloves on top of my heavy winter coat – and it wasn't even November yet. He insisted that he would be a bad mate if he let me "catch a chill". I might have thought he was being a bit overbearing but I couldn't deny that I _was_ nice and toasty.

"Yes, Edward," I sigh as I reach to open the door of the diner. His hand flashes before mine, beating me to the door; he opens the door with a slightly roguish grin and I can't help but roll my eyes. "Besides, I don't need to worry about eating healthy."

Edward frowns. "I was under the impression that human females were obsessed with health," he mutters to himself, seemingly getting lost in his thoughts. I pull up a seat at the one of the corner barstools, smiling at Sue as she bustles over, glancing at Edward with great appreciation.

"Well, hello, darling. Didn't think I'd see you here today."

"I was craving a bacon burger," I tell her eagerly, my stomach suddenly growling. Edward is startled by the sudden noise as he eyes my stomach.

Sue glances over me with a critical eye. "How about some chili cheese fries, too? And a milk shake."

I shake my head. "Whatever you want, Sue."

"You hear that, Billy? Whatever _I _want," Sue calls back towards the kitchen. Thankfully, the diner is fairly empty for a late Sunday night – college students are most likely cramming that last page of the essay before Monday morning's class.

Billy peeks his head out of the kitchen, a smear of flour across his cheek from where he had begun making bread dough for tomorrow's meals. He raises his brows at me. "You sure that's wise, kid?"

"What's the worst she could do?"

Sue merely smiles widely and turns her attention to Edward. "And what will you have, handsome?"

Edward quickly scans over the menu. "What is this _chicken fried steak_?"

I'm a bit surprised that Edward intends to eat but hadn't his brother done the same? _These vampires eat_, I remind myself.

"It's the best thing you've ever tasted," Sue says. "There's even my award winning sausage gravy to go with it."

"I'll have that," Edward decides, looking downright _thrilled_.

Sue hums happily. "Good choice, dear. You could use some fattening up, too," she says, jotting down the order and passing it to Billy. "What's with these kids today, huh? Thin as a rail, all of them!"

Billy laughs but says nothing in response – anyone who came to the diner was used to Sue's ranting over the poor, skinny children. It took me a while to realize that it wasn't anything personal or out of malice; Sue was genuinely concerned about the students at UDub.

A few stragglers stumble in and Sue's attention is drawn to them, leaving Edward and I in our corner.

"So, you're going to eat?"

Edward smiles easily. "The gravy that comes with this dish seems interesting. I look forward to tasting it."

I lean my head against my palm, unable to draw my eyes from him. "You don't mind eating, then?"

"I haven't eaten in a few decades," he shrugs.

My eyes widen. "Decades," I repeat slowly.

Edward leans closer. "My Bella, I am a born vampire. Other vampires, vampires that have been made, cannot consume food. But since I have grown into my current body, I can metabolize food. It is not as sustaining as blood, of course, but I could survive on a few steaks a week indefinitely."

I nod in understanding, absorbing the fact that there were clearly _two_ different types of vampires. I didn't particularly want to get into the logistics of _that_ at the diner but my curiosity was ruthlessly fighting to get out. "How does it happen?"

Edward's hand moves towards the loose ends of my hair, twirling a dark strand around his long, pale fingers. "How does what happen, princess?"

I lean towards him, my elbow sliding across the surface of the bar. "How do you turn into a vampire?" I ask, my voice low.

Edward is careful to keep his face calm and cool – the perfect poker face and one, I assume, that he had been mastering for hundreds of years. "Those who are willing are usually bonded to their makers," he says. His finger tugs at my hair slightly. "The bond before the change is usually a love bond, a bond born from recognizing your mate in a human. These vampires that are made from the love bond actually behave more like the born vampires and their change is more, how shall I say this?" Edward pauses for a moment. "The change is easier on the body, affects less of the organs. Our scientists think this is because vampire blood is introduced into the human body gradually to establish the love bond and that the blood might alter some of the DNA even before the change. There are certain vampires who are made with that love bond that have special privileges."

"Willing?" I question.

Edward grimaces. "A lot of the vampires made in earlier times were not willing," he tells me. "Only a handful survive the change if it is forced and of when they wake to their new life, they are feral. Dangerous. They do not usually last long and the few who do are very strong and capable."

I nod, roving over what he told me, reading between the lines as Sue gleefully sets our plates down before us. I watch with mild amusement as Edward digs into his steaming plate, his eyes wide as the taste hits his tongue.

He looks up at Sue. "This is amazing."

"That's good country cooking, boy," she tells him smugly, shooting me a wink. "You come by anytime you need to fill up."

Edward readily agrees, tucking into his meal. I do the same, relishing the juicy meat and melting cheese. He finishes much quicker than I do and watches as I munch on my cheese fries.

I'm mildly uncomfortable with his eyes on me and the silence as he watches me with clear, unrestrained adoration.

I like the adoration.

I don't like the silence.

"Tell me more," I say after a sip of vanilla milkshake.

"More of what?"

"What are the certain vampires? What are those _privileges_?"

Edward steals one of my fries and dips it into my milkshake, making an astonished face at the cool and hot and sweet and salty combination. He emits a low hum, close to a purr, and repeats the action twice.

"The females," he finally says.

I furrow my brows.

"The female vampires made from the love bonds," he clarifies. "Only the ones made from a true love bond that transition into this life can have children."

I blink.

_So, if I were to change…_

Too soon to even think about thinking that.

"So, vampires that are made can have children, too?"

Edward nods. "Only the ones made from a love bond, though. Like I said, our scientists think it must be because the blood altered the female DNA before the change, while the bond was being set up. It's the only plausible theory we have at the moment."

"Fascinating." I pause, measuring him with my eyes. "You're a born vampire, right?"

Edward smiles proudly. "From one of the oldest covens."

"So, born vampires can have children."

He nods.

"What about the male vampires that are made from a love bond? Can they father children?"

Edward frowns. "They could. But it's exceedingly rare for a newly made vampire to leave his maker, let alone seek out another partner - especially in the cases of love bonds. Why would you leave your love?"

"That's a good point," I say slowly, finishing my meal.

Edward examines my plate. "You ate nothing green," he says suddenly. "I read that humans should eat many green things everyday."

I shake my head at the sudden subject change but it was becoming increasingly clear to me that vampires in general were a little bit scatterbrained. I guess when you had eternity to talk about everything, an out-of-the-blue change in subject was nothing to be cross about – you'd eventually get back to the subject.

"Uhm, it's okay, Edward. I'm not on a diet," I tell him, neatly stacking the plates from our meal and setting them between us.

Edward scowls at me. "I'm a horrible mate," he says. "I knew you should eat things that are green and colorful and I did not enforce it."

"Edward, it's okay," I try to tell him, but he shakes his head.

Leaning forward, so close that I can smell his unmistakable, mouthwatering scent, he says, "But you need much iron, Bella. I plan to take your blood as often as you allow it and a meaty red meat meal will not keep your blood rich enough."

I swallow, a sudden shiver racing down my spine.

"Eating green vegetables like spinach are plentiful sources of iron," he continues, his words coming across like something he memorized from a book. His hand ghosts across my thigh. "Please eat many green things."

Helpless to his unintentional – at least, I think it was unintentional – seduction, I nod.

He sits back, grinning. "It will begin tomorrow, then. I will have an iron rich breakfast brought to you," he tells me, whipping out his phone and typing a quick message to someone.

Once he is done with his phone, he stands, holding his hand out to me to help me from the barstool. Edward insists on settling the bill with Sue and it's comical how his eyes bug out at the price. "That food was exquisite but the prices are…common. I do not understand," he says as we leave.

I laugh, rolling my eyes. "Just because it's expensive, doesn't mean it's better."

He frowns. "It defies logic. Something that is expensive should be the very best of the best. Something that is not as costly should not be better than something that is expensive," he mutters to himself, bringing his body close to mine while his free hand fixes the scarf around my neck.

I choose to ignore his confusion, knowing that there's not really anything I can do to make everything logical for him. I had a feeling that it was impossible and that when Edward really put his mind to it, he could be ridiculously stubborn.

As we near my dorm, my name is called out by a male voice.

Edward growls under his breath and possessively wraps his arm around my waist, his hand clamped down on my hip. We turn and watch as an unfamiliar boy, who looked like he might play football with James, runs towards us.

"Hey!" he says again, slowing down and shooting Edward a slightly scared look. I could only imagine the look on Edward's face – not even a day into our first bond and Edward was scaring away people. "You're that Isabella girl, right? The genius? James told me about you."

I nod, shivering since it's gotten a lot colder and the sun had been down for several hours. It was almost _too_ late for people to be roaming around campus.

The guy sighs, relieved. "Thank you, Jesus. I've been looking for you all day."

At this, Edward growls lowly again; I only know that he did growl because of the vibration it sent through my body.

Ignoring him, I raise my brows at the guy. "What can I do for you?"

He grins suddenly, an overconfident, cocky smile. "Oh, baby. What about what _I_ can do for _you_?"

Edward releases me, stepping forward menacingly.

How this guy forgot that Edward was here was beyond me – his looming, dangerously still stature was hard to miss. Edward was both significantly taller and more handsome than James' buddy and honestly didn't have a chance with me _or_ my little side business now.

The guy swallows, realizing his thoughtless mistake.

Edward grins at his terror.

I yawn, tired from my crappy night of sleep and all the walking I'd done today, not to mention the first blood bond with Edward _and_ my first orgasm. I really just wanted to crash. "Look, guy, I would have been happy to help you but…"

Edward had stepped forward while I was yawning and had apparently said _something_ to the guy because he nods jerkily at Edward and stumbles a few feet back, not sparing either of us a second glance _or _ letting me finish my sentence.

I hum under my breath, shivering again and glancing up at one of the clocks that were scattered around campus, blinking because I didn't realize it was so late and then cursing internally because I knew I had an early class.

As soon as I shiver, Edward moves almost too quickly, wrapping me up in his cool arms that did nothing to warm me and guiding me towards my dorm.

Just as luck would have it, one of the older ladies is sitting behind the desk in the lobby. I'd heard her shrieking at students before over guest and I just _knew_ she would have an issue with Edward. Her old face tightens, her eyes suddenly bright and narrowed as she watches us move towards the elevator.

"Young man," she calls, her voice old and cracking. She struggles to stand and moves beyond the desk, coming towards us.

I hear Edward sigh. "Yes?"

"Do you belong here?"

Edward hesitates for a second, looking down at me, a war waging behind his eyes. He seems to make up his mind and lets out a defeated sigh. "No. I don't," he tells the older woman reluctantly.

I feel my brows furrow – I was sure he would have lied.

It's instantly apparent that he took his promise about keeping secrets _very_ seriously – he wasn't even willing to lie to this old woman. It warmed my chest that he would take an oath to me so seriously – that he would bow to my wishes as his mate before anything else.

But I'd meant him keeping secrets from _me_. I'd have to clarify that later.

The old woman grins in triumph. "Well then, let me tell you young man, that you can just leave right now. It is strictly forbidden for students to have guests after hours."

I roll my eyes. This lady only worked part time in the lobby and took special pleasure in keeping students away from their significant others; she was bitter and, judging from the amount of cat hair on her sweater, she had nobody to go home to.

Seeing my expression, hers changes to one of challenge and she tries to start in on me. I wish she would just leave everyone alone about his or her personal lives in the dorm – _especially Edward and me._

But she wasn't counting on my weird eyes.

Once her eyes connected with mine, she blinks with blank expression, seemingly forgetting what she had just planned to say. Stiffly, she moves back towards the desk and Edward hums in the back of his throat.

In the elevator, he looks down at me. "Does this happen to you often?"

I yawn again. "What?"

Edward gestures towards the elevator door. "What just happened with the elder," he expands. "Do people often look at you and walk away?"

I shrug. "It happens every once in a while."

A contemplative look crosses Edward's face.

"What?" I ask suspiciously, stepping out of the elevator into the mostly empty hallway.

Edward smiles slowly. "Nothing," he insists, following me into my room.

I take off my outerwear, searching for a pair of yoga pants since it was cold and it didn't seem like Edward planned to leave anytime soon, judging by the casual way we slips out of his own shoes and coat. "You know Edward," I start. "I know I was really intense about keeping secrets and lying but I meant it only for me."

Edward sits on my bed. "So I may lie to others if necessary?"

"Yeah. I don't care about that."

Edward nods. "Good. That promise had the potential to get complicated," he says, his brows furrowing when I move towards the door, clothes in my hands. "What are you doing, Bella?"

I clench the yoga pants and my Navy t-shirt. "I'm changing for bed."

"In the hallway?"

"No, in the bathroom."

Genuinely puzzled, Edward blinks at me. "Why would you do that?"

I gesture towards him in silence.

Then, he grins widely, leering at me. "My modest little mate, I _will_ see it all eventually. I don't mind a sneak peek," he winks, his fangs clicking down.

Blood rushes to my face and my heart hammers in my chest. Thinking quickly, I step away from the door; Edward had a point and, really, there wasn't much for him to get excited about. Based on my lack of experience with the opposite sex and their general avoidance of me – save for Paul – I was convinced that boys weren't attracted to me. My face was okay but my body didn't have the curves of Marilyn that I had always craved; surely Edward would prefer to look at someone with more than a handful for a chest or someone with hips that had more of a curve, especially considering his age and the fact that women from the time he grew up in generally were more voluptuous.

I shrug out of my jeans, socks and sweater, leaving me only in panties since I hadn't needed a bra, and just as I am about to pull my shirt on over my bare chest, cool hands stop me.

I glance up, mesmerized by Edward's dark green eyes and his long fangs and the way his hard body brushes up against mine. "Oh, Bella," he murmurs silkily.

And the feel of his very obvious arousal against the top of my hip bone?

It only serves to cement the fact that, while my blood, heart and body call to him with startling urgency, Edward is even more enamored with me.

* * *

**A/N: Whew. Okay, so, little story; I have a friend, Megan, who is so utterly gorgeous it's sickening but because her body is rather waifish (like this Bella), she has major self esteem issues. Just goes to show that insecurity goes both ways – skinny girls want curves to be attractive and curvy girls want to be skinny to be attractive. Me? I say be comfortable in your body.**

Reviews – _there shall be a change. I'm all about compromise, so when I get a review that points out how disappointed one of my readers is about the length of the chapters being misleading because of my epically long respond-to-reviews A/N's…well, it starts me thinking. I know the response to this story is triple that of Gods when I was still posting and my system isn't working so much anymore. I don't want to disappoint anyone, so I'm proposing a compromise –_

_First 10 reviews + any guest reviews will be answered in the A/N from now on. Cool? Okay._

**Major shout out to LunaDiSangue85, who will always be my personal champion. She takes the time to rant on my behalf about the shitty reviews I get lol It's awesome and greatly appreciated! And, my dear, you do bring up good points – so what if I have a long A/N? I update regularly, I finish the story and I do respond to every single review. So…ehhh….**

**Flavia – Doing a little jig because you love this story!**

**host312 – My dear, I'm glad you think so!**

**TwilightVirtuosa – Hmmm…Ohh, well, I do believe I answered that particular question! :D**

**Dinotopian – Getting to know Edward is the best thing ever!**

**Sadie1787 – LOL Edward is pretty adorable in this one – meek but protective, truthful but a secret keeper, hopelessly devoted but so afraid she'll leave! I love love love him!**

**vampyregirl86 – He is. I just wanna squish his cheeks together and kiss 'em!**

**Edward's spouse – Super thrilled that you're getting excited!**

**mamacat20 – LOL Bella keeps getting distracted. Hmm. Edward might be purposefully doing it?**

**YesMyRealNameIsBella – LOL Everytime I'm writing this fic, I get hungry. Probably why Bella has such an appetite!**

**Glitter Poisoned My Blood – Oh, I have several psychics lol At least three of them have been mentioned in this A/N! :D**

**Pumpkinmykitty – It is a large kingdom – not the largest, but pretty big lol**

**And super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, Twilight Rocker 12 – Dude. You have to tell me if the last movie does Breaking Dawn justice!**

**Alright, I need food! As always, be brutally honest. I can take it!**

**~cupcakeriot**


	15. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

_**Isabella Swan**_

My heart is beating so loudly that I wonder if, maybe, Edward can hear it. From what I had observed about vampires so far, everything about them seemed enhanced and it would only make sense if the wet, heavy thumping of my heart echoed loudly in my small dorm room. Edward is looming over me, his body pressed in close to mine, his cold hands moving slowly over the uninterrupted skin of my back.

He inhales deeply, suddenly pressing his nose into my neck and snatching away the shirt I had just been about to put on; his mouth opens against my skin and his tongue flicks out, tasting me.

I wonder what he tastes - a shadow of what my blood tastes like? The soap I use when I bathe, maybe?

I shiver violently when Edward quickly sits down on the edge of my bed, pulling me to stand between his legs, his head level with my bare chest. I move my hands to cover myself, but Edward stops me, keeping my arms pinned down to my side as he boldly presses several kisses to the middle of my chest, right between my breasts. My body reacts to the coolness of his skin, my nipples tightening.

Edward growls lowly, his hands moving, firmly clapping down on my waist while his head moves, his lips caressing one of my breasts. A small noise escapes me – one of arousal and fear of the unknown.

His rough tongue slowly, torturously moves over my nipple.

The tiny sparks of tingling that had started in my abdomen quickly turn into physical evidence of my arousal – and I _know_ right when Edward smells it because his actions turn ravenous.

His lips pull and nip at my nipples, his hands moving to expertly massage my breasts, his tongue swathing me with cold strokes. I feel mindless, a slave to the intense pleasure seeping into every pore. I hadn't had any idea my entire body could be so responsive to touches like this, concentrated on one area. I could feel myself tightening, grasping at nothing but my own wetness.

Edward's hands slide down to my bottom and so quickly I barely have time to breathe, he positions me over him – straddling his lean body on the edge of the mattress, my knees close to slipping off, my body supported by both his hands and his hardness as he thrusts _right there_, his mouth still concentrated on my breasts. Until now, he'd been careful to keep his fangs away from the delicate skin as he paid great attention to what made me moan and what made me shudder with pleasure.

It must be a vampire thing because I can't fathom how Edward's attentions don't slow down as he begins to manipulate my hips over him. His fangs scrap against the tops of my breast, just bypassing my nipple by centimeters.

As he is rocking our most intimate parts together, bringing me closer and closer to the edge, I look down, watching his dark head move over my chest, seeing the feral, passionate expression with my own eyes.

And then I am a shuddering mess, feeling the wetness in my panties grow, my breaths coming out as high-pitched gasps. Edward is growling, his hips undulating underneath mine and I feel him _twitching_ against me and his long fangs brushing against my skin, just barely drawing blood.

I pant, trying to catch my breath, forcing my eyes open.

Edward purrs, softly licking each nipple, as if in gratitude. "Beautiful," he murmurs, hugging me tight against his chest. "Your body is so perfect."

I blink, my brain just beginning to function again. I believe Edward with every fiber of my being – he can't lie to me, after all. He finds me beautiful and arousing and it's not just my blood – it's the body I find too thin. But he appreciates it; he even _wants_ my body.

I let myself melt into his chest as his lips reverently caress the skin on my neck, as he buries his face in my wild, dark hair. "You didn't take blood?"

He shakes his head slowly, cool breath rushing against me. "It would be too soon, princess."

I nod in understanding.

And then a question bubbles up and my face is feeling hot. "Was it as good for you…without the blood?"

His arms tighten against me. "My Bella," he says softly, pulling back just enough that I see the clear mint of his eyes even though I don't make direct eye contact. "It was more than just good. I find so much pleasure already with your body and we've just barely cracked the surface. I have yet to truly touch you. Your blood, while delicious, is just the icing on the cake, something to make our couplings even more intimate."

I feel my body shiver at his words, drawing my attention to the mess in my ruined underwear. Edward refuses to let me move and I struggle against him for a moment until I feel him hardening underneath me. I stop, looking at him with wide eyes and let out a terrible yawn.

"My tired little mate," he says proudly, moving my body so that I am laying down on the bed.

"I need to clean up," I say, yawning again. The day – and the orgasms – were catching up to me.

"Let me take care of you," Edward whispers. I blink up at him, gasping when he suddenly disappears and comes back to my side not a second later, a dripping washcloth in his large hand. With a grin, he peels my underwear down, seeming to savor the scent and the sight as I am revealed to him; I'm too tired and comfortable to even care that he's seeing me completely naked. Edward carefully brings the washcloth to my most intimate place and begins cleaning me up, slowly swirling the rough fabric over sensitive areas.

His eyes are wide, entranced, as he moves the cloth up to my clit, brushing against the nub several times. And he stays there, slowly massaging the nerves, moving the cloth over it with growing friction, making my hips arch up towards him. He looks up at me, watching my tight nipples and the growing flush on my face, and then he looks back down to where his hand is working, the washcloth the only barrier between us. "Will you come?" he asks me, a growl rasping through his lips, his fangs clicked down.

I can't answer him; my hands are clutching the comforter and I am unable to take my eyes away from him. The cloth is rubbing in larger circles now, rougher, with more purpose.

And then, there isn't any cloth between us – Edward's cold fingers are now rubbing against me, just barely dipping inside of me. My clit, sensitive from the attentions of the washcloth, is between his fingertips and, with a low growl, he pinches it lightly, sending my body into dizzying tremors. I may gasp his name but I don't care; I'm out of my mind with pleasure and Edward is growling, his chest rumbling as he watches my body clench for him.

When my body calms down, he reluctantly removes his fingers and cleans me again with the washcloth, completely ignoring my clit. "I want to see it again," he says. "But you are so tired, princess."

Edward helps me sit up and pulls my shirt over my head and then tucks me into bed. Once I am wrapped up completely, he moves behind me, spooning me and feathering my hair with light kisses.

I am almost asleep when I feel him move away and the cold air seep into the room from the window. I hear him speaking with someone, hear him using a dismissing tone, and then he is back behind me, underneath the covers with me and there is growing warmth on top of us. I touch the new blanket tiredly, realizing that it is electric.

I smile at his logic as he wraps his arms tightly around me.

And when I wake up, I am perfectly warm – the electric blanket is on high and Edward's body seems to have taken on a warm temperature.

Edward is actually asleep behind me, breathing slowly, quietly. If possible, he seems even more beautiful in his slumber, his face relaxed and so young, though he does still look older than me by at least a few years.

He sleeps deeply and genuinely, his eyes moving rapidly underneath the lids.

Not wanting to disturb him, I wiggle out of his arms and out of the bed, glancing at the clock and realizing that I might be late to class. I move towards my closet, quickly grabbing my warmest sweater and a random pair of print jeans and underwear, shooting a look at Edward's sleeping form when I realize he didn't give me a pair last night.

I shower very quickly and dress in the bathroom, bypassing my room as I hurry down the stairs, having already grabbed my book bag so I wouldn't run the risk of waking up the vampire prince.

By the time my class is over, it's nearing mid-day and my stomach is loudly protesting my lack of food. I wonder if Edward is awake but I realize that vampire sleeping habits might not be like a humans – although, clearly, he didn't need to wait for the sun to go down to go outside.

As I am walking towards my dorm, intent to find Edward, wake him up and demand food – or a kiss, since I seemed to be craving that almost as much as I needed nutrition – I hear my name being called. "Miss Swan!"

I look behind me, half expecting to see the guy from last night.

But jogging towards me is the out of breath, balding rent-a-cop that is the head of campus security. He waves his hand at me as he slows down to a stop. "Miss Swan," he gasps out.

I look at him blankly, waiting for him to continue.

"Are you able to come back with me to the security center?"

I shake my head. "I have plans," I lie, not liking how he looks at me – like he owes me something but also wants to own me. "I need to get going."

"Wait," he says. "I thought you might like an update on Paul."

Dread creeps over me.

Of course.

I'd seen Edward kill Paul with my own eyes.

This was bound to catch up to us sooner than later.

I harden my expression, raising a brow. "What _about_ Paul?"

The rent-a-cop wrings his hands together. "I'd rather not discuss this around other students," he hints.

I cross my arms over my chest. "Look, I really do have somewhere to be. It's here or nothing."

"Fine," he says, glancing over at a few co-eds across the courtyard. "Paul's body was found about ten miles away. Looks like an animal attack."

It's not hard for me to fake my surprise – I would have thought vampires would hide their victims better.

But maybe Edward was trying to prove a point.

I didn't know what the point might be, but I considered him successful.

"I see," I say stiffly. "That's too bad."

The cop nods genuinely. "The Huskies might not make it through the season without him."

"The Huskies?" I ask blankly.

The rent-a-cop nods again.

"Are you _kidding_ me? The bastard tried to _rape_ me and you're concerned about _football_? He deserved whatever came to him."

Disgusted, I turn away, ignoring the questioning looks from the students of the campus – and realizing, belatedly, that I'd raised by voice in my outrage.

And I honestly didn't care.

Let them wonder.

Paul is dead and I'm downright giddy about it.

I walk quickly towards my dorm, eager to get back to Edward.

But maybe I shouldn't have been so eager.

Edward is pacing up a storm in my room, his hands in his hair, his face hard with anger. He shoots a withering glare at me as I close the door and stalks closer, looming over me in such a way that I actually feel intimidated.

"Edward?"

"You left," he growls, backing me against my door.

I shiver. "Just for class. You were asleep."

Edward nods once but even that seems far too harsh. "I woke up alone," he tells me. He places his hands on either side of my head and leans in until his cold breath is washing over my skin. "You left," he repeats.

I understand immediately – this was Edward's true fear, the fear of me leaving or disappearing and never coming back.

I'd nearly made it his reality again.

Remorse fills me and I reach for him. "Edward. Edward, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

He chuckles darkly, pushing my hands away and pining me to the door with one of his own. "Scare me?" he asks. His other hand moves quickly, cupping my core and grinding the heel of his hand against my clit. "This is mine, princess," he growls. "And you are mine, too."

My heart is racing and I feel myself growing wet.

His dominance is arousing.

I know I did something wrong – I left. My leaving is like Edward lying to me.

Only his form of punishment was sexual dominance.

I deserved it.

Hunger is blazing in the mint green of his eyes and he eyes my neck as his fangs seem to grow larger. "I need to remind you," he hisses. "You belong to _me_."

And then, his fangs are deep in my neck and his hand is rubbing harshly against me and I'm helpless to it all – the pleasure, the pain, the way Edward simply owns me.

And that feeling of belonging to someone this powerful, of belong to Edward?

It is unlike anything in the world.

* * *

**A/N: I know – lots of, well, _sex_ in this chapter. What can I say? Vampires are sexual creatures? Lol**

**And the first ten reviews (and guests) are….**

**B – LOL iron on loan? I'm sure he would love that!**

**FanficButterfly – Nope! Bella is safe on the Paul situation! Welcome to the story!**

**Glitter Poisoned My Blood – I love spinach! I'm anemic, too, so I'm all about legumes and leafy greens!**

**Sadie1787 – AH, Edward. That handsome devil. He'll make Bella feel all comfortable and shit in her skin, right? Lol**

**Maysnrs – LOL Yes, yes. Always so eager for the mating! Edward the Nutritionist might have a comeback, I think.**

**Edward's spouse – Amen! I think a lot of body image issues stem from media but people always told me the same thing growing up. It's been a hard road to be like, "Okay, I have curves. Everyone else can suck it!" lol**

**Kaygou – It was pretty cute. I might have him plead for more things!**

**Jamieannaelisabeth – Don't let the natives get restless! They begin attacking or something! Lol**

**james3142 – Ah, more twists to come with the vampires. I promise that lol It'll probably throw everyone for a loop, but that's okay!**

**Twilight Rocker 12 – LOL Kick the butts of those exams! I believe in you!**

**Pumpkinmykitty – I'm so jealous! Lol I really wanted a good chicken fried steak last chapter and now I want it again! D:**

**And super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, vampyregirl86 – Yay! You agree! Lol I've always thought the same thing. It's like, how are all these vampires sane if they're like, a thousand years old? Whattt? Lol**

**Alright ladies – and gents? – I'm off to…I don't know, actually. Check my email, I guess?**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**

_PS – Check out Augury by Passionate04. She doesn't have nearly enough reviews and this story is amazing, though I might be a bit biased!_


	16. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

**Chapter Fifteen**

* * *

_**Isabella Swan**_

His growl is fierce, right in my ear – a low rumble that enchants, arouses and scares me. I move against his hand, falling into him in the most intimate of ways, allowing his palm to cradle my most private of parts and support my weight. The tone of his growl changes, morphing into a pleased, rough purr and he moves his mouth away from my throat.

Edward pulls back, allowing me to see his haunting face – the pale skin, dark eyes, red lips and the fangs that hold a single drop of my blood. His hand continues to move against my core, slowly becoming more teasing; his aggressive touch calms, his wrist twisting so I am given _pleasure_ instead of _ownership_.

"Little mate," he murmurs, his voice dark with a slight edge – so different from the voice he normally used. I suspect that this is his inner beast, the vampire he kept hidden. This was the center of his innate stillness and the danger his seemed to exude – this was the part of Edward that he had never shown me, the part that harbored both his greatest fears and his greatest strengths.

And I'd triggered his fears.

I'd made this side of him come out by leaving this morning.

He'd taken my blood, marked me as his, and now he was slowly coming back – _my_ Edward was coming back.

His fingers flick the button of my jeans, ripping it from the fabric with that single casual movement, and his fingers delve into the confines of my jeans, stroking me in closer proximity to my skin and the heat he caused. My head falls back, my body sagging under the sudden stress – Edward taking my blood and then giving me this pleasure, both without warning. His arm moves, wrapping around the small of my back so that I can lean against him, my back arching and my breasts pushing out towards him through my thick sweater.

"You want this, don't you, little mate?"

I open my mouth to answer, but his hand moves against me, suddenly under my panties and moving quickly, without mercy for my sensitive human body – a low moan escapes me.

"You do," he purrs, running his nose down my neck again. "You want this and you want me. But you _leave_ me."

His attentions stop and I am left panting, on the brink of orgasm.

I blink, looking up at his dark jade eyes. His eyes narrow at me. "You don't get to leave me."

I nod.

He's right – I don't get to leave him.

I don't even want to.

I can't bring myself to care that I've lost a sense of independence from him – falling hard and fast and being utterly devoted to someone simply isn't my style, but for Edward, with Edward, I can't imagine anything different.

So, I nod quickly, conscious of his fingers too-slowly rubbing against my clit. The friction isn't enough. I need more.

Edward brings his face closer to me and licks the edge of my lips. "_You will not leave me_," he purrs, flicking his fingers against me so harshly and suddenly that I fall into full-body tremors, my legs falling slack and my body bending backwards over his strong arm.

I am gasping, catching my breath, staring into mint eyes. I wonder idly why my violet gaze doesn't seem to unnerve him like it does others – he doesn't have a reaction, aside from his face relaxing into a pleased smile.

Maybe it's because he's a vampire.

Speedily, he zips my pants and lays me down on the bed, sitting beside me. I'm no fool; his back is straight and he sits with authority, much like a parent or a doctor might do. He leaves absolutely no room for debate on _who is in charge_.

A tender hand pushes a strand of hair off my forehead and an expression of anxiety crosses his face - _my_ Edward is back, even if he is making it clear that he is dominating this relationship. I find comfort in his control – I'd never realize just how much I needed to release the control, the perfect memory, the stress of running my life and working so much. As much as my very life healed Edward, his domination that relinquishes my control healed me.

"Did I scare you?" he whispers, his eyes darting down my body. He seems to inhale deeply, as if checking for the scent of an injury.

I take a quick inventory of my body and aside from a twinge of soreness in my center from the roughness, I feel fine. I tell him as much.

Edward doesn't look convinced. His swift mood change leaves me reeling, but I do my best to absorb it – he's lived for hundreds and hundreds of years. I can easily learn to deal with his idiosyncrasies.

"I'm sorry," he says, pushing a hand through his unruly dark hair, exposing the pale expanse of his forehead and the tiny veins that maze around his temples. "I try to keep _that_ reined in. I'm afraid to scare you. But, Bella, I woke up and you were gone. You can't just…"

I sit up, reaching around his middle to hug him. My head presses into his stone chest and my arms barely reach around him completely; he's not as bulky as some of the college guys I see but he is taller and that makes him larger. He easily overtakes everyone I have ever seen in terms of height, looming over everyone by half a foot or more.

"I shouldn't have just disappeared," I tell him, squeezing him as tight as I can.

I had an unrelenting need to be as close to him as possible – it was a subtle throbbing, a slow pulsing call of my blood. I couldn't imagine being away from him and I wondered how I had coped through my life so far. Thinking about it, there was always something that was missing in me.

Edward sighs. "Little mate, I can't possible expect you to stay with me at all times. You won't want me in the bathroom with you."

I smile against his chest.

He's right.

I won't want him to follow me into the bathroom.

"Well, there has to be a compromise."

Edward's hands run over my hair, my back, my shoulders. His touch is cold and soothing and exciting. How had I lived without this touch?

"I'm sure there is," he says lowly, tipping my chin up.

Our eyes meet again and his flicker down to my lips – he's shy, hesitant. He's fearing that I'm afraid of him, afraid of his inner vampire.

I'm not sure how to tell him that I love both sides.

And then, my mind blanks – have I even said I love him?

_Do I?_

But I can't think, because he is leaning forward, his lips about to brush against mine. I close my eyes in anticipating, my lips parting.

"Sire."

Damn that silent invitation.

Edward's head snaps to Jasper, an irritated growl escaping his chest. "What?"

If I didn't know any better, I would have sworn there was a ghost of a smile on Jasper's face – he was amused by Edward's reaction. I wondered if there was some sort of rule about respecting your vampire prince; maybe guards had special privileges.

"You're brother, Sire," Jasper drawls, his deep voice accented by a slight twang I hadn't noticed before. "He wanted you to know of his displeasure."

Edward stands, his back straight and his shoulders back.

He looks exactly like a prince.

"And what is this _displeasure_ of Emmett's? He's nearly four hundred. I would think he would be able to handle his own displeasure."

"This displeasure involves you, sire," Jasper says wryly.

I quirk a brow, observing this back and forth – they are friendly and seem to be sharing some sort of joke but they are also very formal. I was eagerly taking in everything I was hearing and seeing, cataloging it all in my mind so I could put it all together.

If I loved this man, it _had_ to be based on more than the blood.

I simply refused to devote myself to someone because my _body_ thought I should.

Edward sighs heavily. "On with it, Jasper."

Jasper grins. "He says that he is sick of you holding your mate hostage."

Edward laughs. "Hostage? She is _mine_, not his."

Jasper nods, his eyes flicking to the window.

"Is he out there?" Edward demands, pointing outside.

Jasper shifts on his feet.

Edward storms to the window and hisses something angrily.

I glance at Jasper, shocked that he doesn't seem to be breathing – his chest doesn't move and he doesn't even make eye contact with me. He even looks a bit embarrassed.

And I realize belatedly – and humiliatingly – that he can probably _smell_ what just happened here.

And what happened last night.

And the time before that.

_Oh, God._

My face flames, heat painting my cheeks, and a fine sweat breaks out on my brow.

What else can vampires smell?

My stomach drops.

I mean, it really drops. It's lower than it was that time Dad found the only pack of cigarettes I had ever tried to smoke. I'd been mad and embarrassed then, but it was nothing compared to now.

Edward is done hissing and turns to me, his brow furrowing when he sees my face. _He_ seems to be breathing – and enjoying it.

"Bella?"

I shake my head, waving my hands at Jasper before realizing that the motion of my arms is stirring the air and probably catapulting my scent _all over_ the room. I drop my arms and feel my face get hotter.

Edward looks at Jasper, confused.

I sigh. "I need to talk to you. _Alone._"

Edward nods, casually shrugging his shoulders before reverting to his unnatural stillness. "Jasper," he says by way of good-bye.

"Sire."

Jasper disappears out the window and Edward comes closer to me, kneeling beside the bed. It occurs to me that it's not everyday a prince kneels and my heart flutters at the thought.

He caresses my face. "My Bella, you're pink."

I close my eyes, leaning into his hand. "I just realized something."

"What is it?"

"Vampires have a very acute sense of smell."

Edward's brows rise. "I thought you knew this. You are very smart."

My face is still hot. "I mean, a _very_ acute sense of smell."

Edward blinks.

He isn't getting it.

I squeeze my eyes shut, refusing to watch the realization wash across his face. "Jasper could smell our _activities_."

Edward is silent.

Too silent.

When I open my eyes, Edward is smiling proudly.

_Not quite the reaction I was expecting._

Edward looks entirely too pleased with himself as he grins lavishly at me – it's almost a leer. "Good," he says, deeply inhaling the air of the room. "I thought perhaps it needed to be stronger, but if it is affecting Jasper, then surely this room is properly scented."

My eyes are wide with disbelief. I'm sure I look like a cartoon character. "What?" I ask dumbly.

I don't think I've ever been as flabbergasted in my entire life.

Edward is oblivious. He is eagerly massaging my thighs, just above my knees. "This is wonderful, Bella. Any vampire that comes near this room will know that you belong to me. When we are fully mated, they won't even have to come into the room – they'll know just by smelling you," he tells me, his voice slipping into a low growl. His mint eyes are darkening. "Bella, I will _so_ enjoy scenting you as a mate should."

I might just imagine it, but I think his eyes dart to the apex of my thighs with great hunger.

I clear my throat, trying to gather my thoughts. "That's something that vampires do, then? Scenting?"

Happily, he nods. "It's a point of pride in males. The stronger his scent is in his female, the better. It's best if other males run away when they see his mate. I fully intend for that to happen, Bella," he murmurs, leaning up to inhale the skin at the crook of my neck, right where he bit me earlier.

I shudder, oddly excited by this.

But I shake my head, getting back to the real issue at hand.

"Edward," I whisper, pulling back.

"Hmmm?"

"Can you smell my virginity?"

* * *

**A/N: Sorry about the delay! Like, really. I'm groveling. Thanksgiving threw me off – turkey and stuff. Sooo….probably two or three updates during the week and one next weekend to catch up. I don't know.**

**And the first ten reviews of the last chapter (including guests) are…**

**Guest – Well, she's dying for feedback ;)**

**twilight-saga-lover95 – LOL Nothing like confusing feelings – he's scary and sexy and I'm-peeing-my-wet-panties. Oh My!**

**Sadie1787 – Huh. Maybe we should make a sign-up paper? Lol**

**YesMyRealNameIsBella – lol I didn't see the movie yet BUT I do agree that the naughty lemons were…sizzling ;)**

**Edward's spouse – I give you more!**

**Headinthecloudsss – LOL Sorry! Hope you were able to sleep after reading!**

**Glitter Poisoned My Blood – Ice Hockey! Very intense. I might have to consult you on a few skating things in the future if I decide to go that way with a plot!**

**james3142 – Holy great question, Batman! Lol Uhmmm I haven't decided but I think I know the way I want to go with Edward's physical past….**

**vampyregirl86 – Yay! Lol The story doesn't suck after a drink! That's good, right?**

**Pumpkinmykitty – Men, right? UGH! It's football! Eh. Lol**

**And super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter…. CdrIvanova – Yep! You totally nailed his greatest fear! Poor dude. She's 21st century, she doesn't _have _ to tell you where she's going, Edward!**

**Anyway, my stomach sounds like it's trying to eat itself and I'm realizing that I'm _always_ hungry when I'm writing this. Might explain Ed's appetite!**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**


	17. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**

_**Isabella Swan**_

Edward doesn't seem perturbed by my question in the slightest. Actually, a rather _pleased_ expression crosses his face. "Yes," he answers swiftly. "I smell no other on you and your blood tastes _pure_. It's magnificent."

I didn't think my face could get any more pink but it is and I'm quickly working my way from embarrassment to anger. I try to tell myself this is Edward; a vampire who is some odd mix of shy, sexy, arrogant, clueless and scary – but right now, talking to a vampire oblivious to my embarrassment is making me mad. He doesn't even seem to notice that I'm shifting uncomfortably as he tells me that my blood tastes pure and that he _really_ likes that.

His fangs even click down when he inhales the bend of my wrist deeply.

I purse my lips, my eyes narrowing at him and I feel some part of myself come back – the rash, irrational part that is really just a whopping bitch with an independence complex.

I snatch my wrist away.

Edward blinks up at me, his fangs retracting and his mint eyes coming back – he looks like a confused little boy, even though his aristocratic face shows nothing of young adulthood or childhood. In fact, I'm almost surprised he passed as a college student. Thinking on it, the only difference between the first time I saw Edward and now was the fact that his dark hair was pushed off his forehead; the hair in his face gave him a youthfulness he simply didn't have. He looked older than a senior but not old enough to be a professor and I wondered exactly how old he was.

I shake my head, both to rid myself of my wandering thoughts and to clue Edward in on my rising anger. "You only like me because I'm a virgin? Uncharted territory?" I demand, standing up and pacing.

I'm very aware of how ridiculous I sound – and how insecure.

Edward _had_ been very upfront with how attractive he found my virginity but he'd also been very honest about recognizing me as his mate and the bonding and the past life I remember dying in.

He seems to be startled and very confounded by what I've said.

He should be.

It doesn't make _any _sense.

I need to talk to Victoria about this boy stuff. Things were moving too fast.

_Boundaries_.

I needed boundaries.

"Bella, of course not," Edward finally says, standing. His intimidating height takes up a lot of space in my small dorm room – how had I not noticed that before?

Right. His hands had a way of getting into my pants.

I stop pacing. I turn and point at him. "We're not having sex!"

His eyes are wide but he still manages to look crestfallen. Slowly, he nods. "Little mate, I would never force you to make love with me," Edward assures me.

My heart is racing and I feel like I'm on the verge of crying. _Oh, God. _I'm premenstrual. I have to be. Otherwise, when did I become completely crazy?

Cautiously, Edward takes me into his strong arms and pulling me against his large chest. He slowly caresses my hair, down my spine, repeating the circuit while I try to calm myself.

Then his touches change – subtly become more and more arousing, his hand dipping to cup my bottom or slide against the side of my breast. When his thumb brushes against my nipple, I push away. "Are you seducing me?"

He looks guilty, quickly pulling his hands away. "Of course not."

My hands settle on my hips, a stance I remember my mother taking when either Dad or I had done something that needed chastisement. I would think _this_ qualifies. I narrow my eyes at Edward. "You were trying to use sex to distract me!" I claim wildly, hearing how stern my voice is, leaving no room for argument.

And I think I'm right, because Edward blinks slowly at me, schooling his expression. "Of course not, princess," he repeats slowly.

"You…you!" I say loudly, unable to come up with a word that describes him.

For his part, Edward looks appropriately scared and contrite; I don't think he knows how to deal with my sudden mood swing or my different attitude towards him. I think he understands that I'm not exactly angry enough to send him away again, but I'm certainly edging my way into that territory.

Part of my mind is trying to calm down, bring back some rationality. But I'm aware of my personality; aware that I'm not mature with my emotions; aware that I'm rash; aware that I'm impatient with a short fuse. And it's this second part of my mind that is making wild accusations while Edward takes slow, measured steps backwards, his eyes clearly warring with the decision to run or stay.

"That's all I am to you! A fuck buddy!" I shout, going back to my original charge. "You just want my blood and my body and when you're done, I'll just be left behind. You go on and _on_ about how _I'm _going to leave _you_ but you're not really afraid! You just want me to think that so I'll feel bad for you or something. All this mate business is just bullshit-"

"Bella!"

"And once you've fucked me, I won't need to be your mate anymore! I bet you planted those memories about my _previous life_ somehow! How did you fuck with my head, Edward?"

"Bella, please. Princess-"

"And are you even really a prince? Are Jasper and Alice just actors or something? _Oh, God._ And the way you touched me!"

Edward's eyes are wide; now he is reaching forwards again, his large hands coming towards me, his mint eyes beseeching. "My princess-"

I wave my hands in the air, feeling my breath stuttering. "How many have you been with, Edward? Hundreds? God, you've had hundreds of years! I bet there have been _thousands_. I'm just a _number_ to you-"

His lips close on mine, harsh enough to cut me off without hurting me. He has me pulled tightly to his body, grasping one my hands and bringing it up to his chest, pressing my palm over his heart. He pulls back just enough for me to see the blatant truth in the clear mint color. "Do you feel that beating? _It's for you_. Everything I am is _for you_. You are not a number. You will never be just a number. I am yours. You _own_ me, Bella. _My_ princess."

Tears spill over at the intensity in his voice, the way he dips into little growls. And he's so earnest that I genuinely feel _crazy_.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Edward," I cry, burying my face in his chest as he holds me gently, quieting me softly.

"My princess, you've been through a lot lately. This lapse is understandable."

I nod against him, even though I'm silently berating myself – there was no excuse for acting like a banshee. And the things I said…he should hate me now. Tears gather furiously in my eyes and my body feels weightless as he holds me, humming a little melody.

"Shh, shhh," he hushes me, laying us down slowly on the bed. The cheap curtains of my window are shut tightly but I know it's not any time near bedtime or night. It looks like Edward is taking us down for a nap. I don't blame him and honestly, I could probably use a nap.

I don't know what got into me.

I count the days in my head, acknowledging the approaching date of my cycle, and sigh. "Edward…"

"Yes, princess?"

I press my face closer to his chest, inhaling his unique musky, sweet scent. "What are you going to do when I, uh, start my period?"

My face feels hot. _God_, today must be the day for embarrassing topics. First my virginity and the _scenting_ and now this.

Edward shrugs, jostling my body ever so much, and rolls onto his back, pulling me to rest my weight on his chest, my head over his heart. "Is that happening today?" he asks cautiously.

I shake my head and he sighs, relieved.

_Can't blame the guy_.

"But soon?" he clarifies.

"Yeah," I nod. "A few days. Will you have to leave?"

"I don't see why I would," he tells me thoughtfully. "Your blood calls very strongly to me now but I understand that it is not the right time for you to welcome my seed into your womb. There would be no child from a mating right now," Edward says bluntly. "I suspect that after your monthly bleed that the draw to your blood will be much stronger. I should be able to tell when your body is prepared to take my seed. That is when we will mate."

I blanch.

I don't think I'm ready for kids.

Even Edward's.

Knowing that he intends to impregnate me the first time we have sex is a bit of pressure – and he doesn't seem to think anything of it. It's like he's telling me it's going to rain next week and there's nothing I can do about it but wear a rain coat.

"Edward, I don't think I'm ready for that," I say, hoping he'll catch on without me needing to elaborate.

"Next month, then," he says, squeezing me gently. "I'm confident you will carry our child well when the time comes. I understand your need for time alone."

I close my eyes. "Edward, I don't think I'm ready for _children_."

He is silent. I chance a glance at him and he is looking at me thoughtfully. His nose flares as he inhales suddenly and he closes his eyes. "Your blood is healthy and your body is pure, the perfect vessel for our child, my princess. How long do you wish for me to wait?"

I rest my chin on his chest, studying the sharp angle of his jaw. "For children? I don't know. I'm only nineteen, Edward."

He frowns and looks at me, mint eyes penetrating. "We will have to wait a long time to mate?"

I raise a brow. "Don't vampires practice birth control?"

"Not with mates," he says firmly.

"But you have," I whisper.

Instantly, Edward looks ashamed. "I'm sorry, my little mate. It was many years before I ever met you," he says, looking away. "I'm a prince. It was…expected behavior."

I grasp one of his hands, briefly marveling at the difference in sizes; he makes me look like a little doll and suddenly, my minimal curves seem very feminine. Edward turns his eyes to me, looking pained.

"Can I be forgiven?" he asks. His eyes are bright, his brows furrowed. "There has been nobody after you," Edward promises. "I couldn't even think of it. If you did not come back to me, I would have remained celibate for eternity. Knowing that I'd had a mate…I couldn't even become aroused. I would have waited for the rest of my life for you to return."

I feel very bad for my earlier behavior.

He is completely devoted to me, even before this version of me existed. I frown, reaching up to smooth out the furrow of his dark brow. I quietly mourn my previous accusations; there's no way he could ever see me as a number.

I had some serious making up to do and there is no time like the present.

"There is nothing to forgive," I tell him, pulling myself up enough so that my lips can reach his. I realize that this is the first time _I _have ever initiated intimate contact and though a pit of nerves opens up in my stomach, I forge through. "I am the one that needs to be forgiven, Edward. I was horrible to you earlier. Let me make it up to you."

And then, before I can talk myself out of it, I let my hand cup him.

He swells under my hand, hard and large, his eyes wide and his fangs clicked down. "Bella?" he gasps, wiggling under the firm grip of my hand.

I kiss his chin, trying to decide how to proceed. The only contact I'd had with this part of his body had been when _he_ pressed it against me. But I'd heard plenty of what Victoria has told me in the past couple of years, not to mention locker room talk from my days in high school and I _remembered_ everything. I couldn't be too difficult.

My lips trail down his neck, pausing to nip at his Adam's apple, as my fingers nimbly unbutton and unzip his jeans. When I don't feel the fabric of underwear under my fingers, I look down – and my eyes widen.

He's pale and almost translucent, tiny purple veins pulsing just under his skin, the head of his erection a quiet, dusty rose color and bulbous, like a mushroom. He's also long and thick; _it_ rests heavily on one side of his abdomen, under his belly button and the delicious dark trail of hair that leads down to his most intimate part.

It's kind of beautiful in a way.

With an almost out-of-body perspective, I watch as my hand moves around to grasp him, my fingers not closing completely around him. I feel Edward tense below me and I release him, looking up anxiously.

His face is feral – he almost looks _angry_ with his furrowed brows and taut lips, his eyes intense and his fangs long. But there's no mistaking the desire as he looks at me.

I move off his chest, sitting on my knees next to his hips and move my hand over him again, this time letting my palm run from the very tip to the perfectly shaped sack below.

And then, I'm trying different things – letting my nails scratch against him or following the largest vein on the underside of him or squeezing just the head and spreading around the pearly stickiness that comes from him – and I listen and watch his reactions. As I gain speed and feel more sure of myself, I feel him tense up, his back arching just slightly, his hips making him thrust into my hands.

It's like he doesn't even have control of his body, much like I didn't have control of my mind earlier.

In a confident move that Victoria had _insisted_ I know about, I squeeze him as tight as I can, twisting my wrist on the upstroke and leaning down to lick and tease at his sensitive tip, which had grown slightly darker in color. He seems to grow just a bit more – longer and thicker – and his hips thrust wildly, forcing the entire head into my mouth as he releases with a snarl. There is no warning but it's okay; his taste is bittersweet and intoxicating and the only regret I have is not being able to see his face as he lets go.

Edward's chest heaves with a heavy rhythm. He slowly pulls me back into his arms, kissing my cheek and the corner of my mouth sweetly, his fangs scraping against me slightly.

And I smile – because even though I was a complete nut-job earlier and Edward wasn't a virgin and he only wanted to impregnate me, I am happy in this moment.

And the blissful look on his face?

I'm responsible for it and it suddenly makes all of the craziness worth it.

* * *

**A/N: PMS is a bitch, right? *sigh* Oh well, I think she made up for it. Probably there will be a chapter tomorrow to make up for the one I missed last week.**

**First ten reviews _and_ guest reviews are…**

**Kindaboredrightnow – Your PM's are disabled SO… I think my Edward is kind of perfect, too lol**

**Guest – Glad you love it!**

**twilight-saga-lover95 – lol I'll be bringing up the nudity issue in future chapters. We'll see how Edward reacts ;)**

**Twilight Rocker 12 – LOL I don't know. Fauxhawkward and Vampward must tie in adorableness!**

**Danielleteambellaforever – Thank you for reading! So happy that you were hoping for an update!**

**she-rah – Emmett is just…Emmett lol I think Bella's getting her grip back! Sometimes new relationships change people, make them more or less dominant…Bella's getting her groove back!**

**Holidai – Lol yeah, compromise is a good thing. I wasn't ready for Emmett last chapter but he's…being persistent :p**

**Krystalwinds1990 – Probably not the wisest response for Edward to have! Lol**

**Lilypad10 – Bella's really headstrong. She doesn't want to be this weak person when it comes to Edward, you know? She wants to decide for herself, even if her body is pushing for one thing. She'll get there.**

**Nalia-R – LOL I would say she got some independence back this chapter, right? He can be all dom and stuff, but she really wears the pants!**

**Pumpkinmykitty – That would weed the skanks out! Sorry, Tanya! LOL**

**And super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, vampyregirl86 – He's clearly from Mars, right? Lol Men!**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**

**P.S – Augury by Passionate04 has updated! Things are heating up! Give it a read if you like the supernatural or prophecies or if you love me! :D**

**P.P.S – Happy Birthday to YesMyRealNameIsBella!**


	18. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen**

_**Isabella Swan**_

I wake up to soft morning light and gentle kisses on my neck. It's been a few days since my _meltdown_ and I slept with a tampon last night, having felt cramps the night before. Edward looked positively disappointed when he saw me take out the box, though I'm not sure why – I couldn't think of any reason. Now, he is cold, hard and heavy against my back, his arms wrapped tightly around me.

"Wake up, princess."

I sigh, blinking my eyes open, looking for my alarm. I scowl when I see the time; Edward caught on quick and realized that I slept by different alarm times based on my work and school schedule. Usually, this meant I missed breakfast.

He didn't like that.

He had developed a nasty habit of waking me up an hour and a half _before_ my alarm went off. It had only been three days since this started and I already hated it.

"I need _sleep_, Edward."

I did. He kept me up past my bedtime last night with soft kisses and eager touches. Edward adamantly claimed that he, the male, needed to frequently connect with me, his female.

Whatever. It was a vampire thing and yeah, it was fun having orgasms all the time but it was catching up to me. And, I suspected he was using it as an excuse to _scent_ the room – another vampire thing.

The point is, I'm exhausted. It's a good thing I don't actually need to study like other students, which Edward had also picked up on.

"I see children with books all the time," he'd told me, inspecting my blank desk. "Why don't you ever have books?"

I had shrugged, stuffing my face with food that Jasper had meekly dropped by. I wasn't sure Edward ever left my room at this point or if he secretly followed me around to classes and work. "I remember things."

"How well do you remember, Bella?"

"I remember _everything_," I had told him.

He nodded like he understood and that was the end of that discussion.

As much as Edward noticed habits about me, I noticed habits about him, too. Like how he messed with his hair all the time; or how he glared at other men; the way he spoke in this blunt but oblivious way and how he let news or information roll off his shoulders. My super memory didn't phase him in the slightest.

I attributed it to him being five hundred years old – _really_. Five hundred. I'd asked. His physical age was around twenty-four when he had stopped aging and he'd been that way for five hundred years. He was alive during the colonization of America; the black plague in England; Protestant churches beating out the Catholics; he'd even _seen _Shakespeare and the original plays. It blew my mind, frequently, how much history he had seen and lived through.

And then there was me, just barely nineteen and reincarnated.

Mated to a vampire Prince.

During class, I sometimes wondered if I was going crazy and making it all up. It was very easy to write off the past week and a half of my life as a dream or hallucination when I was listening to professors droning on and on about Freud studies.

But then I would start to feel this _pull_ – this tugging sensation in my blood and this awareness in my head that would put my theories to sleep.

According to Edward, my body had finally accepted and metabolized his blood and from that first exchange, it now recognized Edward as _my_ mate. Having another male vampire's blood at this point would probably kill me.

That's good to know, of course. I kind of wish I knew about that _before_ I drank his blood but hindsight is twenty-twenty and I really didn't regret drinking his blood in the first place. If anything, I sort of craved it – but I wouldn't tell him that. If Edward even had the inkling that I wanted another exchange, he would jump all over it since he's an all or nothing kind of guy.

And I wasn't really _ready_ for him to be able to feel my emotions.

I sigh again, rolling onto my back; Edward gives me _just enough_ room to do so before wrapping me up in his arms again. I confess to being the most comfortable in his embrace, even if I did sometimes feel like Ann Darrow in King Kong's clutches. As his arms tighten gently around me, a flash of sun hits the ever-present ring on his left hand's ring finger; the ring is made of bright platinum, wide and thick and inlayed with dark black and red swirling jewels. Each time light hits the stones, the black streaks seem to _move_ in slow, easy circles.

I'd noticed the ring in passing, being more drawn to his eyes and face – which said something to how attractive he is. But now that I had, my curiosity was peaked.

My finger traces over the curve of the stone. "What is this?"

"Hmm? Oh," he murmurs, drawing his eyes away from the exposed skin of my stomach where my Navy shirt had ridden up in my sleep. His eyes focus on the ring. "It's a bloodstone."

I quirk a brow. "And?"

Edward blinks at me. "It protects me from the sun."

_Oh. Another vampire thing. _

"The sun," I say blankly.

For some reason, he's being really reluctant with the information; I feel like I'm pulling teeth. With a flash of intuition, I realize he's holding back because _this_ information could be dangerous for me to have and Edward is just trying to protect me.

I reach up, pushing his hair away from his forehead because I like it better that way. The strands are thick and silky and warm against my palm. "You can tell me."

His face is pensive for a moment before he sighs. "I know. But, Bella, if anyone found out that you knew…"

"You'll protect me," I tell him confidently.

I believe it with my whole being, too – he'd protected me from Paul, mistakenly from Jasper and from myself.

Edward smiles slowly, exposing his bright teeth. "I will," he vows, kissing me sweetly, just barely nudging my lips open with his own.

I have to pull back before we get carried away – which was easy, especially since I knew what it felt like to hold him in my hand and what he sounded like when I was pleasuring him.

I am almost as addicted to Edward as he is to me.

"Tell me," I breathe, scooting back a few inches.

Edward waits until his eyes revert to mint before he starts. "Bloodstones are important to vampires and very personal. No two bloodstones are alike since they are the product of a vampire's exposed blood." Edward pauses, gauging the confusion on my face. "When my blood is exposed to air, it doesn't remain a liquid like yours does, Bella. Mine become a solid – crystallized, even."

My eyes dart back to the bloodstone and a new appreciation for it's strange beauty is born – the stone is _part_ of Edward.

"After the birth of a vampire, born or made, blood is drawn and set into a piece of jewelry to protect the vampire from the effects of sun exposure, which is a really bad, sometimes life threatening sun burn."

"That explains the sun myths," I mutter.

Edward nods. "The younger the vampire is, the more dangerous the sun can be. You won't ever see a vampire without a bloodstone, Bella. But the reason I am hesitant to tell you about bloodstone isn't because every vampire has one," he says gravely.

"Then why?"

"If you take a bloodstone from a vampire and leave them for the sun, it's deadly. Even a vampire as old as myself can die in four hours exposed to the sun without my bloodstone."

My heart clenches and I automatically squeeze my fingers over his hand, as if I can hold the ring there myself to protect him.

Edward smiles softly. "You don't need to worry about that, Bella. I'm a prince."

I snort, unable to stop. "Right. Like that's going to protect you!"

"It does," he promises. "Vampire royalty have a special operation involving bloodstones. I have five bloodstones in my body."

"In your body," I repeat.

"One in my torso, one in each arm and one in each leg," he clarifies.

I push up the sleeve of his shirt, searching for scars like Dad has from past surgeries, and Edward laughs.

"You won't find it."

"Why not?"

His eyes dart to the closed and curtained window. "Not many know about the operation. It's strictly for royal born vampires. An extra precaution."

I understand what he's saying and nod, softly kissing the exposed skin of his arm before pulling down his sleeve. Learning something this important has got my mind going and I'm thinking of other questions and myths that I can ask.

Edward is watching me with a content smile, as if he can see the thoughts working through my head.

"What else can kill a vampire?" I blurt out, thinking that this is the most important question.

Edward doesn't flinch – he was obviously expecting this question. "Many things. We are not immortal, we simply age very, very slowly and live for a very long time. Fire or decapitation for a quick death. A lack of bloodstone and sun exposure, of course. Great loss of blood, thought that would take about as long as starvation."

"You're not immortal?"

For some reason, the thought worries me greatly. I'd thought he was _permanent_.

He sees the worry on my face and quietly soothes me. "It would be very hard to kill me, Bella. Trust me. Many have tried."

My eyes are wide with alarm. "What?"

"It's okay, princess."

I sit up, pushing the covers off me quickly, forgetting that I'd conveniently opted out of wearing pants last night and now my legs were cold and exposed to the chilling air of my dorm. Edward snarls beside me but I ignore it. "It's not okay. Someone has tried to kill you?"

Edward sits up too, shrugging. "It's no big deal, Bella. The last attempt was fifty years ago, I think."

"You _think_?"

I'm shrill.

I can't help it.

Someone tried to _kill_ Edward.

Edward is holding me in his arms quicker than I can process, his vampire speed taking me by surprise. I hadn't realized that I started crying or that I was beginning to hyperventilate – but just the _thought_ of his death was killing me.

_God_, was this how he felt when I died the first time?

It was horrible.

There hadn't been any doubt in my mind that my feelings for Edward were growing by leaps and bounds but my own reaction is cementing the intense emotions.

I can't live without him.

It would be impossible – and I'm still human.

_Still human_.

I shake my head; but of course I was planning on changing into a vampire eventually. How could I not?

I catch Edward's eyes and, before he can stop my hands, I begin pushing his tight black shirt off his body. Edward complies soundlessly, staring at me with large mint eyes as I throw his shirt on the floor, operating on my most basic of instincts – _tie myself to him._

I toss my hair over my shoulder and tilt my head to the side, exposing my neck to him. "Drink," I order, reaching my arms around his neck, trying to pull his mouth down several inches so he could sink his teeth into me.

But Edward is resistant, carefully holding my body. "Bella, what's wrong?"

My eyes water – _damn hormones_.

"I can't lose you," I tell him, as if it explains everything.

In my mind, it does.

For Edward, though, it only serves to make him more confused. "You won't lose me, princess. I am yours. You are mine."

Rapidly, I shake my head. "No. No, it's not permanent. We need to exchange blood."

Edward's face hardens. "No," he says resolutely.

My stomach drops, my heart stutters painfully and I process this rejection, unable to understand it. "Why? Why not? I want you to."

"Not under duress."

"There is none! I want you to. I just want you."

Edward strokes my cheek. "You do have me, princess."

"I want more of you. And I know you want more of me."

He must see the conviction on my face because he doesn't hesitate any longer – his fangs click down and he holds me tight against his chest, leaving me immobile.

_Yes_.

* * *

**A/N: What? Oh, damn. Cliffhanger. My bad, my bad.**

**And the first ten reviews plus guest reviews are…**

**BedwardCullen – I do use aristocratic a lot lol The model I use for the Edward character looks like an aristocrat and he's really hot so…But welcome to the story!**

**Guest – Thanks for reading the last chapter!**

**alc1002 – Glad you liked it!**

**Lilypad10 – Men, right? They all think with the peen.**

**Night script – You got that right, about the tempting… ;) More to come!**

**Breenda15 – Nope. Bella doesn't have to turn to have his babies. It was a couple of chapters ago….Born vampires can have babies with born vampires or blood bonded humans. Made vampires can have babies with born vampires if the vampire was made from a love bond. The second option applies to Bella! :D**

**Lizakimiko – I get sad, too! And really moody! I feel bad for my family lol**

**Glitter Poisoned My Blood – Well, I updated ;) Tell Coach to shut his trap! Lol**

**Headinthecloudsss – lol he did avoid that question, huh? I guess we'll see….**

**Camilla10 – Promise that we'll all get there!**

**Debslmac - :D**

**Super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, Nalia-R – lol Independence day usually does, though, right?**

**And thank you to Camilla for rec'ing this story on ADifferentForest!**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**


	19. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

_**Isabella Swan**_

"Sire."

I should have known it was too easy. My breath comes out in a whoosh and the cadence of my heart slows as I tilt my head just enough to see Jasper averting his gaze.

As he should, really. Edward and I are in an intimate position; his shirt is off and he's holding me to his chest tightly, my back is arched over his arm and his fangs are close enough to penetrate my skin. This isn't a position I want his subjects to see me in and, as if reading my mind, Edward instantly changes our position, pulling me up to stand straight and pushing me slightly behind his body so that, at the very least, by bare legs are covered, even though I was sure Jasper had enough respect to not look.

I wonder, very briefly, if Edward has a problem with my skin being shown to others. And if that's the case, then I need to talk to him because _he_ has absolutely no problems with nudity and I wasn't about to let that hypocrisy go unchecked.

"Jasper," Edward greets, nodding his head slightly while Jasper bows his head deeply in respect.

"I am sorry to interrupt, Sire," Jasper says. "But your brother-"

Edward lets out an annoyed growl. "What is it this time? Did I not give him and Rosalie the allotted honeymoon time when they became mated. I didn't interrupt them, did I?"

Jasper blinks at the rhetorical questions. "Sire, Prince Emmett wishes to speak to you about an urgent matter."

Edward stops growling and his agitation melts off his body. "Urgent?"

"Yes, Sire."

Even from behind, I can tell that Edward has transitioned from _my_ Edward to _Prince_ Edward – he stands taller, his shoulders squared and confident and his feet immobile to the floor. "I see. Relay that I will meet him in fifteen. Send in Alice."

Jasper is gone before I can raise my brows and Edward is moving _very_ quickly – I can barely even see him. I'm not sure if he's doing the vampire version of pacing or what, but when he begins to blur, I shout his name.

Edward stops, looking at me.

"What's going on, Edward?"

His aristocratic face is still tense and professional but his eyes warm slightly as he takes me into his arms. "You work today, yes?"

I nod against his chest, unable to stop myself from melting against him.

"Alice will accompany you while I deal with this issue," Edward says, leaving no room for argument.

I feel my lips press together as I pull away from him. "You're sending a babysitter?"

Edward watches me closely. "You're not a baby."

"I know this."

"Then no, I am not sending a babysitter. I'm sending Alice."

I roll my eyes and poke him in the center of his chest, which is really right in front of my chin. "Nobody watched me before you came around, Edward. I don't need anyone to watch me."

"It's Alice's job."

I throw my hands in the air. "To _babysit _me?"

Edward shakes his head, his brows furrowing. "Of course not. We've already established that you are not a baby."

"What else do you call it? She's being sent over to watch after me. Why?" I demand, growing more stubborn the longer he didn't understand me – or pretended to not understand me. I just wasn't sure at this point.

Edward pushes his hair off his forehead. "Alice is kind of like your lady's maid," he tells me. "She is to help you with anything you wish to do and watch over you when I cannot. It is traditional protocol."

I deflate.

A _lady's maid?_ That explained why she called me her Lady.

But I was human. And I certainly wasn't royalty. "I don't need a lady's maid, Edward."

And he shakes his head stubbornly. "You will be a princess, you _are_ my princess. You need a lady's maid."

I huff, seeing that I clearly won't be winning this argument.

He's very serious about this and still in Prince mode.

Reluctantly, I nod, resolving to make this arrangement with Alice as informal as possible – maybe I could even get her to call me by my name.

Edward smiles slightly, kissing my temple and murmuring his thanks before pulling back. "I have to go soon," he tells me.

I frown, thinking about what we had been about to do before Jasper interrupted. "But we didn't…"

He strokes the curve of my cheek. "It's probably for the best, princess. I shouldn't take blood from you when you are already bleeding."

My face heats up at the mention of my cycle but, thankfully, I don't react to it – my mood is evening out now and I didn't foresee any irrational mood swings in the future.

"I love your blush," Edward whispers, kissing the edge of my mouth.

_At least that makes one of us. I hate the damn thing._

He repeatedly presses his lips against the hot skin of my face, as if he can sink into the warmth. His last kiss feels especially warm, as his lips seemed to absorb some of the heat from my body, which was interesting.

_Vampires absorb heat_. Another piece of information.

Edward sighs into my ear, pulling back. "I will see you soon," he promises as he moves towards the window. He doesn't allow me to say good-bye and as soon as he manages to get his tall, wiry frame through the window, a thin black and white blur enters my room.

Alice stops in front of me, her long black hair still moving slightly from the speed of her movements. She gracefully executes a curtsy and greets me with a smile and, "My Lady."

My lips twitch into an uncomfortable smile. "Please, call me Bella."

Alice frowns. "I cannot do that, my Lady."

"Why not?"

"It is not proper."

"Can you call me Isabella, then? It's my formal name."

"No, my Lady," Alice tells me, shaking her head softly. "That would be very disrespectful."

I bite back an annoyed sigh, my mind moving a mile a second – and then I get an idea. "Alice, I have to at least insist that you call me Isabella in public. It would be very odd if my boss heard you calling me a Lady."

Alice frowns. "I'm not sure the Prince would agree."

I wave off her concerns. "He'll understand."

And he would, even if I had to use alternative ways to convince him. There was no way I would be going out in public with Alice if she was going to act like I really was a princess.

"If you insist, my Lady," Alice says, bowing her head.

I feel my lips pull into a frown. I hoped she didn't _act_ like I was royal or something in public, but I had no idea how to bring that up without seeming really rude. Alice had already almost been wrongfully punished for _kind of_ insulting me and I knew I had to do my best to prevent a punishment from happening just because I didn't want to get weird looks from Sue.

"How may I assist you, my Lady?"

I reach for my toiletry bag quickly. "I have a shift at the diner in about thirty minutes, so I need to grab a shower."

Alice looks positively horrified. "_Only thirty minutes?_"

"Uhh, yeah."

"My Lady, that is not enough time!"

I grip my bag to my chest because an odd glint has entered her eyes and she's looking at my closet with barely restrained excitement.

"It's just a diner shift," I tell her.

Alice shakes her head. "Nonsense, my Lady. You shower and I will be prepared to help you dress."

_Okay then._

I hurry through my shower, scrubbing my hair and my body because it felt weird knowing that Alice and Jasper could smell Edward on me – not to mention my _period_. God, it was so embarrassing but there wasn't anything I could do about it.

When I get back to my room, Alice has several different outfits laid out, along with matching underwear I didn't even know I had – which, thinking about it, I probably didn't have until fifteen minutes ago. My desk is covered in neatly organized rows of make up, from foundation and blush to a variety of eye-shadows and mascaras.

Briefly, I think about arguing with Alice and her eager smile. But I really am running late and she's already done all this work and I didn't want her to feel bad.

So, I pick one of the more casual outfits – printed jeans in mossy green and a snug white turtleneck along with my mocha leather slouchy ankle boots. I barely flinch at Alice's cold fingers as she adjusts the hunter green lace bra and panty set and helps me into the jeans and turtleneck. That's when Alice abandons all illusions of being human; she uses vampire speed to gently brush my hair and fix it into a secured messy bun that looks really complicated. I hardly feel her hands as she ghosts blush and a fine layer of bronze shadow over my eyes, along with a generous amount of mascara and a dusty rose red lip stain.

She guides me over to the wall-length mirror hanging off the back of my door and watches as I appraise myself – and while I do look good, I know that I'm almost overdressed for working at the diner.

But maybe looking like this will make Edward want to exchange blood with me, even if he doesn't want to take blood when I'm already bleeding. I'll just eat something really rich in iron at the diner to make up for it.

I smile at Alice and she grins wildly before blurring around my room to clean up the desk and put away clothes.

By the time I have pulled on my winter coat, Alice is opening the door. "I do not know where this diner is, my Lady," she whispers.

I shoot her a look.

"Isabella," she quickly corrects.

Satisfied, I smile a bit. "That's okay. It's not far."

Alice nods and I watch as she tries to make herself seem more informal, which is a bit hard since she's actually wearing a heather gray sweater-dress with a fluttery hem and loose neck, black tights and shiny patent leather Mary Jane heels with a very structured white trench coat. She walks slower and relaxes her shoulders, though she still looks like a very graceful vampire.

Since we are walking at a human pace and I rather hate the silence, I start up conversation. "How long have you been a vampire, Alice?"

Alice tilts her head. "Nearly twenty years. Jasper found me in northern Mississippi when he was sent on a mission to look for you."

This was news to me, of course. I had no idea that Jasper had searched for me, though Edward had casually mentioned something about many of his people searching. I still had no idea _how_ they knew who to look for, but I suppose I hadn't changed much from my previous life.

"Jasper found you?" I ask, watching Alice nod with a serene smile. "He changed you, too?"

"Yes. We were love bonded."

My brows rise. "Really?"

Alice had been in my position before? I suddenly felt a kinship towards her as we crossed the street.

Alice smiles at me. "He was very romantic. My daddy was very strict about boys since he was a pastor but my Jasper was determined to win him over before he changed me. Daddy knew I left the human world happy and I think that's all he really cared about."

"You're dad didn't know about vampires?"

Alice shakes her head solemnly. "Unless you're becoming a love bonded or about to be changed, it's very important that humans don't know about the vampire world."

Lots of secrecy, then. No wonder Edward had issues telling me what was what before – it was _his_ law. I had the notion that the secrecy was for the protection of the vampires, though, not the humans. That explained why Edward was really reluctant to tell me about how to destroy a vampire. If that kind of information got into the wrong hands…

"So Jasper is your mate?" I ask, cutting off my won thoughts. I could think about it later.

Alice sighs dreamily. "He is. That is why I am your lady's maid," she tells me. "Mates are not often separated by class or job and since Jasper has always been the Prince's guard, I have the privilege of serving the new princess."

I wince. Serving me? I didn't like that one bit. "Why don't we call it helping me out?"

Alice blinks at me before stiffly shrugging, the movement unfamiliar to her. "Of course, Isabella."

I smile, relieved and reach for the door of the diner. Alice's hand blurs past mine and opens the door but before I can enter the diner, I hear my name being called.

"Bella!" Victoria yells from down the street, walking slowly towards us. "Bitch, you need to get a cell phone!"

Alice growls and while her growl sounds more like a lion cub as opposed to Edward's genuinely scary tone, I still feel a shiver race down my spine. She is glaring hotly at Victoria and I suddenly wish that Jasper-the-great-Interrupter was here because I didn't think I had a chance of holding Alice back.

* * *

**A/N: Oh, damn. Probably shouldn't call a future princess a bitch, huh? Poor Victoria. I wonder if she's about to die? Lol**

**And the first ten reviews (plus guests) are…**

**BedwardCullen – Daddyward, yes! Thumbs up for the pacing of the story! Woot woot!**

**yagalinus0420 – Someone's going to try and get Bella, alright! Just maybe not in the way you think! Lol**

**1sparklygirl – I and a close friend of mine actually went and listened to that song and you're right Now we have a song for the entire story! Lol **

**Lizakimiko – Sorry! No sexy times!**

**vampyregirl86 – LOL Yeah, I meant to leave a cliffy. Whatcha gonna do about it?**

**Sadie1787 – We should clone this Edward lol Yep, I think everyone would have that reaction!**

**Pumpkinmykitty – lol yep! PMS moodswings are the best ;D**

**Twilight Rocker 12 – They have bloodstones and age! And they don't sparkle! For reals, a totally different vamp!**

**Holidai – I'm so happy that you're emotionally connected to these characters! They really deserve it! 3**

**Jmcfall – You're addicted? Don't have withdrawals!**

**And super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, blve6 – And I hope it keeps getting better and better!**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**


	20. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen**

_**Isabella Swan**_

Alice had just told me that she was a relatively new vampire – she'd been a vampire for as long as I'd been alive. And in light of that, I wasn't sure how strong a hold she had on her instincts; it was clear enough that she wasn't completely comfortable in her body and though she was at least twenty years older than me _plus_ her vampire years, she spoke in a stiff, formal way and seemed to possess typical vampire obliviousness.

Simply, I wasn't sure she could stop herself from attacking Victoria.

"Alice," I whisper hurriedly. "Alice, it's okay. I know her. That's Victoria's term of endearment."

"It's disrespectful of the Prince's mate," she hisses back.

"No, it's not," I lie, even though she's right and I hate it when Victoria calls me bitch like she calls James _sweetheart_.

"Yes, it is!"

There had to be a way to fix this.

I'm thinking quick, watching as Victoria hurries closer to the diner, closer to certain dramatic death, and I open my mouth without much hesitation. "Bitch?" I call towards her desperately. "This coming from the queen bitch?"

Beside me, Alice appears to be processing the term and tone that I've used.

Victoria laughs, looking _really_ human; I glance at Alice and see that she has calmed rather quickly and is looking at Victoria with a tilted head, curiosity and a dash of suspicion plastered on her too-still face.

"Where's your shadow?" I ask Victoria, who is still laughing.

She grins at me, pulling me into a fierce hug. "Football practice," she rolls her eyes before pulling off a pout that would rival that of a four year old. "He left me all alone and since _someone_ doesn't have a cell phone, I had to leave the comfort of my dorm."

"Oh, poor you," I tease.

Victoria sniffles in jest. "It's ungodly to not have a cell phone."

I roll my eyes. "I think I'll survive."

Victoria directs her attention to Alice. "You're hot. Where'd you come from?"

Alice blinks. "Mississippi," she answers plainly – too plainly, because Victoria quirks an eyebrow and shoots me a look.

"She's a friend of Edward's," I say.

It only occurs to me after I've opened my mouth that Victoria wasn't updated on Edward; I try to rein in my irrational anger when she asks about him casually. "Tall, dark and hot piece of ass? How are things with him? Tapped that yet, _Mary_?"

Heat rises in my face. "No, I haven't _tapped that_. God, you're so crude."

"And you're a prude."

I wrinkle my nose at her. "And, _Mary_? Really?"

Victoria shrugs. "What? You look like the Virgin Mary. I mean, dark hair and, well, being the _only_ living virgin."

I glance at Alice, who seems to be having trouble understanding how this conversation in happening in _public_ while she continues to hold the diner door open. I shuffle in, feeling them follow me, and wave to Sue, glancing at one of the clocks on the wall – I had a few minutes to spare before my shift.

Turning to Victoria, I settle my face into a mock glare. "I'm not the only living virgin."

Victoria produces an unladylike snort. "The only virgin on this campus."

And then Alice does the unthinkable – she casually points to a mousy girl surrounded by books in one of the diner booths. "She's a virgin," Alice says with absolute certainty.

Victoria is bemused by the observation, raking her eyes over the girl. "Good eye," she tells Alice.

Alice grins. "It's actually my good nose."

A beat of silence.

Victoria bursts out laughing while Alice looks on with confusion; as far as she's concerned, she was telling the truth. It was painfully clear that Alice wasn't accustomed to dealing with humans because even Edward seemed to be more tactful with his human façade.

Wiping a tear from her eye, Victoria looks up at me. "Forget the hot piece of ass," she tells me and gestures to Alice. "You need to trade him in for this one. Hilarious."

I raise a brow. "Now you want me to be a lesbian? I thought I was _Mary_."

"Unless this one has a sparkling strap on, I think you can keep your V-card."

"She'd have to borrow it from you," I tell Victoria dryly.

"James would like that," she replies lightly.

I pull a face. "Gross. I don't need to know about your sex life."

"A little kink never hurt anyone-"

"Oh," I exclaim falsely. "Look at the time. My shift is starting."

And thank God it is, because I don't think I can take another session of Victoria over sharing. James is like a brother to me; there are things I just don't need to know.

My shift is steady, light enough that even Sue has the time to eagerly ask me about my "young man" and when he'll be coming in again. I tell her that he's still raving about her chicken fried steak – which was true, as he'd casually mentioned that it was fabulous and had sated his curiosity for human food for the moment. Alice, for her part, spends the shift with her attention divided between watching me like a hawk and gaining an alarming amount of information from Victoria; I'm so glad that I'm not part of that conversation.

Before she leaves, Victoria stops by the counter. "Girls day," she tells me. "Me, you and my pseudo-lesbian lover. Soon. We can dish about your hot piece of ass."

I roll my eyes and tell her that this weekend should work out – Alice, my lady's maid, doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. She sits almost too still in her booth, her posture proper for someone born in the seventies. But then again, maybe she was raised in an affluent Southern home.

My day changes drastically after my snack break.

I am wiping down the counter from where a rather rowdy group of stoners has just finished dining when Alice races up to me, her body tense, her movements calculated and her eyes dark. In her hand, she clutches a sleek black cell phone. "We need to leave."

My hand stills on the damp rag and I look at her. "What?"

Her eyes dart around. "It's not safe. We need to leave. _Now._"

I glance at her cell phone, which is lit up like it's still taking a call. "What's going on?" I demand quietly, leaning forward so nobody can hear.

"There's been an attack," Alice tells me.

My stomach drops.

My heart sinks.

My brain works in overdrive, racing through all kinds of possibilities and coming to one conclusion – something to do with Edward.

_Is he okay_?

My hands start to shake and I have to make a real effort to calm my rapid breathing – is this what a panic attack feels like? Alice is staring anxiously at me, glancing around every few seconds and I can feel the urgency coming off her in waves. I can almost see her fighting against the urge to let her fangs drop.

I place a hand on my stomach, turning, almost able to tell that my face is more pale than normal. "Sue?" I ask weakly.

There is no acting.

I feel like I could pass out.

Edward has to be okay – he _has _to.

Ever the mother figure, Sue sends me home, thinking I've come down with a stomach bug.

But Alice doesn't take me to my dorm.

She quickly leads me down the alley beside the diner and towards a nondescript black car with a driver already in the front. I'm no idiot – he's a vampire and he's careful and fast in his perfect driving. We speed through stop signs and yellow lights towards downtown Seattle, a twenty-minute trip due to traffic and construction. He pulls the car into the front of a ritzy hotel, dropping the keys in the valet's hand before opening the door for Alice and then me, and he follows me in.

By the time we reach the elevator, I'm so tense that my muscles start to cramp – but vampires don't seem all too concerned about sharing information, even though the human charge in their care is verging on collapse. My hands grip the golden railing as we ride up to the penthouse suite.

The vampire, a bit short and built stocky, stops outside the elevator, obviously guarding it, his expression neutral and his dark eyes sharp. He nods to Jasper, who is waiting for us.

Seeing Jasper manages to calm me down enough so that my breathing feels somewhat normal. "Where is he?" I ask quickly, feeling tears gathering behind my eyes – I don't know how much longer I can hold back. I just want to see Edward, I want to know what happened, I want this panicky feeling to subside so I can be a rational person again.

"He's right through here, my Lady," Jasper tells me formally.

I can't get a read on his tone – is he worried or not? Concerned? I have no idea and it just makes me want to scream at him and Alice for not displaying emotions like people do.

But I don't; I simply trail Jasper's steps as he leads me and Alice through a maze of ornate hallways and rooms. If it were any other time, I would be impressed by the combination of sleek and traditional décor the expensive suite offers, but my mind is in disarray, completely focused on Edward and his wellbeing.

All I can think about is that if we had been bonded fully, I would be able to tell if he's okay – never mind that I've only known Edward for a couple of weeks and that a step like that was serious.

Finally, _finally_, we stop before a closed door.

"He is resting, my Lady," Jasper tells me softly. He and Alice bow ever so slightly and take a step back, allowing me entrance.

I waste no time in opening the door and I am not distracted by the rich gold and burgundy of the room – my eyes are only for the tall man laying perfectly still on the bed, his shoes and shirt off and clutching his left shoulder.

When I am close enough that my trembling hand can lay over his, he looks at me with clear mint eyes, pain evident in their depths. "Edward," I breathe, part of my body calming at his proximity and the other spiraling into agony because he's obviously hurt.

"Princess," he greets, a peaceful smile crossing his face.

The tears I had been holding back finally escape in a wild, unrestrained torrent and as I let out harsh sobs, I lean over him, resting my body across his so that I can reach his face with my lips, careful not to touch his injured shoulder. I realize that I probably love him as I press quick kisses to his jaw and the corner of his lips – because this type of emotional reaction is reserved for him and him alone.

I hear the door close behind me and Edward carefully lets go of his shoulder in favor of wrapping an arm around my waist so I don't move away from him. My legs fall to either side of his hips and I sit up just enough to get a glimpse of his shoulder.

The injury isn't like a human one – there is no trace of blood, no shiny pink flesh for a scar. Instead, it is a very fine set of spider web fissures on the highest part of his shoulder and though the lines are crisp like broken glass, they are _deep_.

Carefully, I trace my finger around the wound, feeling his eyes on me as he wipes the tears from my face. "How can I help?"

"I'm okay, princess," he tells me gently, catching a few more tears with his thumb.

I feel like I can't stop crying, even though he's underneath me and obviously okay enough. He's in pain but he's alive.

I lean down, pressing my lips to his neck and trailing slow, soft kisses towards his left shoulder. "You're hurt," I tell him needlessly, my lips brushing against broken flesh. "What happened?"

Edward shifts under me. "Explosion."

I frown.

That sounded too familiar – wasn't _my_ death caused by an explosion of some sort? Edward must be thinking the same thing, because he hurries to assure me. "It wasn't the same."

I want to snort at him. Of course it wasn't the same – bombs from 200 years ago are rudimentary in comparison to the bombs of today. _His_ attack was much worse than mine was, even if he was only hit by shrapnel and walked away from it just fine.

I shake my head. "How can I help?

"I'm fine," he says stubbornly. "It will heal. There won't even be a scar."

My tears have dried but I want to cry all the same – I want to help him, heal him and I know how. Determination rushes through me and I shift my body down, lining our most intimate parts up; Edward is already hard and ready and he growls at me when I put pressure against him. I'm much shorter than him and I have to strain to reach his lips, but when I do, passion spikes between us.

My heart races for him.

My blood is only for him and it can heal him.

I use my body to tempt him, playing into his vampire instincts, waiting for a feral reaction – waiting for his fangs. I moan against him, my body thrumming as fiction pushes against me in the most perfect way. His hands clamp down on my hips, guiding me into a faster rhythm as he sits in one fluid motion and rips my sweater off my body, his hands moving against my bare breasts, pinching and pulling.

My fingers tangle into his dark hair at the nape of his neck and I push his mouth towards my neck. "Please," I gasp, sparks shooting across my body. "Please."

Edward growls deeply against my neck, increasing my rocking tempo as his fangs scrape against my neck.

And then, in a smooth, ancient motion, his fangs sink into my skin, his lips moving against my neck. Our bodies shudder together with frantic thrusts and uncontrolled gasps leave me.

My eyes are riveted on his shoulder, which heals rapidly before my eyes with every swallow of my blood; calmed by his healing, I stroke his bare shoulder and smile.

* * *

**A/N: Had finals this week, so I skipped an update! You forgive me, yes? The story is picking up – we're getting into the nitty gritty!**

**host312 – Awwwh, there wasn't a fight! Darn! **

**And the first 10 reviews of the last chapter (plus guests) are…**

**Kimmie41 – LOL they made it out of the dorm!**

**Twilight Rocker 12 – I was worried about Victoria for a second. She totally almost died!**

**Jamieannaelisabeth – In due time, my dear!**

**twilight-saga-lover95 – LOL The whole Alice-helping-her-dress-thing is hopefully a one time thing! As for Alice's stiffness, maybe Bella was right and Alice was raised very _proper_?**

**Lizakimiko – LOL Ah, but she didn't die ;)**

**Wootmoot – I'm glad you're enjoying it so far!**

**Pumpkinmykitty – lol Violence Against Alice support group, maybe?**

**blve6 - *drumroll* I give you the next chapter! Lol**

**vampyregirl86 – yep! The bond will come soon! LOL See what I did there? I said come. God, I'm like a middle schooler.**

**Super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, Nalia-R - Yay for other characters! **

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**

**P.S – Some awesome recs. Give 'em a look!**

Augury by Passionate04

Once upon an unfortunate September by jamieannaelisabeth


	21. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer : These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty**

_**Isabella Swan**_

Edward absolutely refused to let me go – out of his grasp or out of his sight. I don't have the slightest issue with it, either.

If I'm _with_ him, right there in his arms, then I know he's safe.

I know nobody is going to try and hurt him.

We are left completely alone, the door to the room tightly locked and the hallways outside totally silent. I half expect Jasper to jump through the window when Edward leans down and presses a swift kiss against my lips.

As secluded as we are, we are also silent; I bite my tongue several times to stop the questions from spilling forth but I want to _know_. I need to know. But I also want Edward to rest. He looks exhausted, whether from his recent orgasm or from his now-healed injury, I don't know. He has his eyes closed – he looks like he's sleeping, his aristocratic face soft in the muted light of the room.

I can't take my eyes off him.

Did I ever want to?

I observe the way his lashes brush against his skin and the sensuous curve of his bottom lip. I let my finger trace the smooth, angular lines of his face.

"What happened?" I whisper.

Mint eyes lock on mine and Edward looks briefly uncomfortable. "An explosion. I told you that," he deflects.

I push against his chest, sitting on my knees beside him with his hands heavy on my hips, his body turned slightly towards mine. "But _why_?"

"Jasper is looking into it," he mutters, his fingers tightening ever so slightly against my bones. "I…I don't want to say it, but the explosion was very _similar_ to how you died…before."

Air feels heavy in my lungs. Am I breathing?

I force an inhale and nod. "I see," I say, even though I don't. Didn't Edward tell me that he destroyed the group that caused the death of my former self?

"The attack two hundred years ago isn't common knowledge. We kept it quiet," he says as an after thought.

I nod again, this time truly convinced that _someone_ knew exactly what they were doing – and I can tell by the firm set of Edward's jaw that he silently agrees.

"Why would they want to kill you?"

Edward manages to shrug while laying down. "Power? Money? Just to say that they did? Perhaps for my kingdom's territory?"

"Another royal family?"

He twists his mouth. "Not likely. I would say one of the lower monarch families, the ones who watch over the states and provinces."

"They would kill you and your family simply to have your throne?"

Edward watches me with careful eyes. I think he can see the panic growing in me. He nods once. "We have a very large territory and an even larger sum of money backing us. Our kingdom is one of the richest in the world."

Anxiety pits in my stomach – he's so _calm_ about this. I want him to be ranting and raving and tearing things up like _I _want to do.

But he doesn't.

Edward suddenly smiles, a sinful look in his eye, and moves his hands to the center of my back, pulling me harshly so that my chest and breasts are pushed up against his bare skin. "You're pretty sneaky, princess, getting me to drink your blood like that."

Flames heat my face and I struggle to force on a nonchalant mask. "I thought it might heal you."

Edward raises a skeptical brow. "It did. But it _also_ brought us closer to finishing the second bond, just like you asked this morning."

My heart flutters in my chest, feeling like it's going to jump out and just _run_ to him – or away from him, because he totally caught me. I didn't even realize that was one of the reasons I gave him my blood, not until he pointed it out. I force a challenging expression, letting my fingers trail along the strength of his neck and down to his pectoral, resting my hand right on his heart.

I wait for the singular thump, before I lean forward, brushing my lips against his. "Is that a bad thing, Edward?"

His hand tightens against me again, this time taking away any wiggle room I'd had in the first place. "Are you teasing me, princess?"

"Is it teasing if I plan to follow through?"

"It's teasing _until_ you follow through."

"So, you want me to stop teasing you?"

"Yes," he hisses, his eyes growing darker.

"Does that mean I can drink your blood?"

"You want to complete the second bond, princess," he states clearly.

"I do."

"If you can break my skin, you can drink."

I lick my lips, suddenly _thirsty_ for him – starving for him, actually. Am I having withdrawals from his blood? Does that happen?

Edward moves swiftly, pulling my body so that I am laying directly over him; our hips are the only thing that are able to match up as he's so tall and I'm so tiny. My head only reaches the center of his chest and even if I point my toes, they only stretch to meet the middle of his shins. He holds me securely where I am, seemingly relishing in the fact that he can easily cross his arms over my body and keep me immobile. Right now, I seriously don't mind a bit.

I feel the slow steady pulse under my cheek, slowly caressing his smooth pale skin with my mouth, waiting for the next beat; and I've timed it out so perfectly that right as the thumping beat comes, my teeth are biting him so hard that blood slowly wells up in my mouth. I pull back and lick at it greedily, absently hearing Edward's low moans.

As his blood hits my tongue, a surge of energy rushes through me; and then my teeth are easily breaking through his skin, imbedding so deeply that I can swallow whole mouthfuls. Beneath me, Edward is trembling, his head thrown back and his neck strained – his hands move restlessly over my body as my legs part and I straddle him. Keeping my mouth where it is, I move my lower body just enough so that when Edward's hips twitch upwards and in swooping circles, he rubs against me in the most perfect way, dragging me into endless orgasms with him.

"God, princess," he gasps, holding my head against him. "Shit, _shit_."

My eyes roll back into my head as I take one last strong pull, swiping my tongue against the rapidly healing wound. I pant against him, feeling the fine tremors of his strong, lean body. If Edward could sweat, he would be – as it is, my own hairline is moist, causing the tiny hairs around my widow's peak to curl, and my body is boneless, skin sensitive from the uncountable orgasms.

Edward manages to hold me securely, even though his arms are limp around me. I don't have the energy to move away.

Minutes pass before I realize a difference in my senses – I'm hearing more clearly now and colors seem brighter, especially the mint shade of Edward's eyes, which are actually flecked with black and silver. His hair has red undertones, making the dark brown look like it was highlighted with a dull penny. He's so much more beautiful now.

Suddenly, he grins, humming in the back of his throat. "I can feel your adoration," he tells me, squeezing my waist tightly. "This is wonderful."

"Did you doubt my feelings for you?" I ask quietly.

He is slow to respond and when he does, he is careful. "I did not doubt that you had feelings. I did doubt what those feelings were."

"And now?"

He flashes me a fang filled smile. "And now I know that you lust for me, that you care very deeply for me. I know that you love me, though you haven't said the words."

My face heats up and I avert my gaze.

"I love you, too, Bella. My princess," he murmurs, kissing the corner of my eye.

Warmth blossoms in my chest and I marvel at how _quickly_ all this has happened. It wasn't more than a week and half ago that I was hiding behind snark and independence and sarcasm and now, I was in love, cuddled against a healing vampire prince. While my personality hadn't disappeared, I was more aware of softer side of myself – one that is vulnerable and that isn't afraid to depend on a man. I could stand without Edward but I much preferred to stand _with_ him.

Still, I don't say the words back to him – I'm not ready. For some reason, I can't get past my head about it. It's too soon.

Edward is content, though; he can _feel_ that I love him and that's enough.

Of course, just as I think this, our little intimate bubble is burst.

We had been oblivious to the world, nestled in a hot little cocoon of blood exchanges and grinding – and the noises outside our room totally obliterated it.

"Sire, I insist-"

"Insist nothing, Jasper! He's my brother! He'll be thrilled to see me!"

"But Prince Emmett-"

"My brother has never turned me away," Emmett says happily, his voice growing louder much more quickly than I would have liked. "Hell, he's probably been missing me!"

"Sire, he is not alone-"

"He's never alone, Jasper! I've always been there for him!"

And then the door opens.

Emmett is the jovial man from the diner, the one that ordered the French fries and ate them like he was tasting ambrosia for the first time. He seems to be bigger than when I saw him last and his curly dark hair falls over his face easily, his eyes a shade darker than Edward's with more of a blue tinge. His bold frame fills the doorway.

Comically, his eyes open very wide as he spots our tangled position on the bed with Edward's chest bare. Emmett takes a deep breath, as if to sooth his nerves, and a wicked glint enters his eyes. "Oh, brother, I do see what you've been up to!"

There's even an outrageous wink to go with the coy tone.

Edward growls lowly – not enough to frighten but just enough to warn.

The warning seems to fly over Emmett's head, because he steps further into the room, getting a tad too close to the bed. "So this is her, huh? She's hot, bro, now that she's not wearing that apron. Though," he tells me with a sly smirk. "Those fries were to _die_ for. Tell me, is there a secret recipe or-"

"Emmett," Edward hisses, cutting off his younger, more jovial brother.

Emmett blinks. "What?"

"Are you really asking her about French fries?"

"Well, yes. They were phenomenal."

"You think this is the right time to do this?"

Emmett scratches his head. "I don't see why not."

Edward growls. "Has it occurred to you that I may have been _busy_?"

It was the wrong thing to say; Edward realized it as soon as the words left his mouth but by then it was too late and even I could almost see the dirty thought blooming in his brother's head.

Emmett grins widely. "Oh, I can smell that you've been getting very busy in here."

Behind him, I can see the absolutely horrified look on Jasper's face.

Clearly, saying something like that took a mighty pair of balls.

Or an idiot.

My opinion of Emmett was rapidly declining, even if he was amusing in a vastly annoying way.

Edward growls at his brother, sitting up in a fluid motion and somehow managing to shift my entire body so that I am kneeling behind him; even kneeling, my eyes just barely peek over his shoulder. God, I'm so tiny.

Emmett doesn't even seem to understand what he said wrong. He's shrugging at Edward. "What? This room is so nicely scented, bro."

I can almost feel the pride seeping off Edward, even though I can't yet feel it directly. Apparently, this scenting comment was a _compliment_ – it simply sounds barbaric to me.

"Thank you," Edward says happily. Too happily, if you ask me.

I would smack him if I didn't think it would hurt my hand.

"Excuse me," I say instead.

"Yes, princess?" Edward asks, turning back to me.

I gesture to his brother. "Can we continue where we were. No offense to you, Emmett-"

"I take no offense!"

"But we _were_ busy."

We were talking about my feelings, at least. Important, life altering feelings. That counts as busy to me.

"Emmett, if you wouldn't mind-"

"Actually," he interrupts, his face suddenly serious. Behind him, Jasper stands tall and stoic. "I do need to talk to you."

Edward's demeanor instantly shifts and I feel like I'm actually in the room with two princes – like I'm in the presence of real royalty. It makes my stomach clench with nerves, even when Edward reaches back and catches my hand gently, moving it to the top of his bare shoulder.

"We've gotten word of another threat," Emmett says confidently. He doesn't sound the least bit worried – a bit put out, if anything. "The guards think we should leave for the palace immediately."

"They threatened this hotel?"

"Yes."

"That's a lot of human lives."

"I agree."

"We must move," Edward says resolutely. "Jasper, gather the guards and send word to the palace. We will be departing in thirty minutes."

Jasper bows. "Of course, sire."

Edward looks at his brother. "I trust you can arrange the jet?"

"Already done," Emmett smiles, turning to follow after Jasper.

As soon as the door is closed, Edward turns to me, frowning when he reads the sadness coming off me, sees the forlorn look in my eyes. "Bella?"

I sniff, fighting off a sudden onslaught of tears. "You're leaving?" I ask.

I really want to ask if he's leaving me – and I feel ridiculous, because I can't just drop everything and leave with Edward.

I have classes.

Dad.

Victoria and James.

But when I think about leaving them, it doesn't cause the great ripping in my heart.

Just the thought of Edward leaving makes me want to curl up and cry.

Does this make me weak?

It creates a weakness in my heart, but I feel just as strong as I normally do – stubborn and irrational. Now, it seems like my irrationality is transferring into my feelings for Edward.

I don't know how I'll cope when Edward is gone.

He reaches up and strokes my cheek. "I wouldn't dream of leaving without you."

_Silence_.

"Edward, I can't just go with you."

Holding my eyes, he kisses the tip of my nose, wiping away the excess moisture gathered underneath my eyes. "Why not?"

* * *

**A/N: Close enough to on time. Urg. New classes started this week. Hello, fast pace of college. Fuck you, too! :D**

**First ten reviews (plus guests) are…**

**debjwalsh52aol – Thank you for reading!**

**Blve6 – I try ;)**

**Maysnrs – LOL Victoria is a little bit of a freak. I feel kind of bad for James. Sorta. Okay, not really!**

**YesMyRealNameIsBella – If you're a blood bond pervert, than so am I lol It's okay! **

**Headinthecloudsss – All good questions! I think, in time, we'll see exactly what's gonna go downnnn! **

**solidae26 – Everyone asks about the explosion lol I dunno. It's a big, mean one!**

**Pumpkinmykitty – The incredible, edible Bella! Lol Classic! **

**Lilypad10 – I agree ;)**

**Love M Go Blue – LOL yeah, Victoria is pretty cool!**

**Super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter,**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**


	22. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty One**

_**Isabella Swan**_

"My father, for one," I say immediately. I how I sound – I'm scrambling for excuses, excuses that sound hollow even to my ears. But I have an intrinsic _need_ to resist for some reason unknown to me. Maybe to hold onto the ounce of independence I've retained. Maybe just to be stubborn. Maybe for no reason at all, really. I pull away from the gentle hand on my face. "And people will wonder where I've disappeared to."

Edward twists his mouth slightly, dropping his hand slowly. "That's true. We could formally excuse you from school. You could take time off."

"How much time?"

"I don't know, Bella."

I cross my arms over my chest, suddenly feeling _cold_ – empty, like he's already left. Like I've already let him leave. "That's something I need to know, Edward."

Mint eyes catch my own, fixing me with a steady stare – so steady that I feel breathless, because I know he can _feel_ my emotions and he knows exactly what I'm feeling. Confused. Reluctant. Sad.

It's an immeasurable moment as he watches me, studies every facet of my face as if he's sealing a memory. When he does speak, he sounds absolutely resolute. He leaves no room for argument as he introduces his compromise. "I will go," he begins, ignoring the painful stutter of my heart. "I will leave Alice and Jasper with you and after three days, you will go with them and come to me. Three days is enough time to say your good-byes, enough time to make a reason and pull out of your classes. But you _will_ be with me, princess. I can't bear it if you're not."

I barely consider it; he's giving me exactly what I want, a way to have both of my worlds in a way that he deems safe. It's all I could have asked for.

I reach around his strong body, hugging him for all I'm worth. With his blood running through my veins, I feel stronger; I feel like my arms around him actually hold strength. Maybe he can feel how much I'll miss him.

Maybe he can feel how much I love him.

Edward presses a gentle kiss to my temple, wrapping his arms around me and simply breathing in my scent. After a long moment, he pulls away, his face a careful blank mask. Moving to the door, he opens it and speaks to Jasper, who risks a glance back at me – and I can see it in his eyes.

Jasper doesn't understand why I'm delaying.

It seems to me that vampires allow themselves to be ruled by logic above all else; and while that's certainly not a problem, it has absolutely no bearings _here_, in this situation.

Time, after that, seems to move faster – Alice arrives, Edward reluctantly leaves, Jasper ushers me into a nondescript town car which he drives to my dorm, and Alice makes herself at home in my room. She makes herself useful by printing off the correct forms from the university website and fills them out so that I won't have to deal with my un-enrollment. Jasper drops off a small meal and promptly leaves; Alice tells me that he is standing guard underneath the window.

After eating – and not really tasting the food, though it looks delicious – I shoot a quick text to Victoria, creating a fib about Dad's health condition to explain my upcoming, likely extended absence.

She sends her best wishes.

And then, finally, I allow myself to think of Edward. I'd avoided all thoughts of him for hours and it was simply unbearable.

I missed him.

It felt like half my heart was missing from my chest.

This was _obsession_ I felt for him – surely it had to be.

But as much as my mind tried to convince my heart that my deep feelings for Edward were too fast and probably temporary, my body still seemed to call out for him.

Each place he bit me pulsed in a gentle cadence.

I could feel the ghost sensation of his lips on my own and, even worse, I could _feel_ his hands moving over my body.

If Alice smelt any indication of the direction my thoughts had gone, she didn't give anything away – instead, she remained on my crappy computer, browsing a site of fanfiction, which I found ironic given her formal disposition. Maybe it was all an act; I could almost sense unbridled energy bursting from Alice's soul. Her formality was just that – a _formality_.

Upon waking the next morning, I sit up quickly, trying to figure out when I went to sleep in the first place. My fingers clutch the fabric of my pillowcase – the very pillow Edward's head rested on a few nights ago.

My heart lurches in my chest but my resolve is still strong – _turn in the paperwork, say bye to Sue and Dad and then I'll be with him again. I might not even need the three days._

Alice, of course, is already up and working on my closet, seemingly organizing my clothes by season and color. She turns when she hears me sit up. "Good morning, my Lady," she says with a smile and slight curtsy. "What would you like to wear today?"

"Something warm," I murmur absently. "Alice, why don't you go ahead and pack up the clothes?"

Alice pauses her perusal of my closet and I sigh, feeling her eyes on my face as I look out the window, knowing Jasper hears this conversation as well. "My Lady?"

"I'll get started on boxing up the important stuff so we can drop it off at my Dad's house later," I say, suddenly uncomfortable with the order I gave her. I feel incredibly hypocritical as she picks out my clothing while I sit in shorts and my Navy shirt. "I don't think I can stay here another day," I add on idly, mostly speaking to myself.

Alice is quiet for a moment before she turns around and plucks clothing from my closet. "I understand, my Lady."

I sigh, standing and moving towards my desk. The next few minutes are filled with the rustling of clothing and the soft plunking of various objects being put in the medium sized box I keep under my bed. I frown when, upon cleaning off my desk, I come across an unfamiliar scarf – only, it's not _so_ unfamiliar because I remember seeing Edward wear it not so long ago.

He'd left the scarf here, on my desk, probably knowing I'd find it.

Without much preamble, I am pressing the scarf to my nose, suddenly grateful that our recent blood exchange has made my senses stronger – his strong, slightly musky sweet scent fills my nose and my heart pounds in response.

_No_, I won't be able to stay away for long.

I turn sharply on my heel. "Alice. Could you match this scarf to my outfit?"

Alice blinks up at me from where she kneels in front of my large duffle bag on the floor. She smiles when she catches the scent. "Of course, my Lady. It will be my pleasure."

I nod, setting the scarf on my bedding before grasping my toiletry bag. "I'm going to grab a quick shower," I tell her – and Jasper – ignoring her hasty curtsy as I leave my room.

By the time I am clean and back in my room, Alice has carefully placed my clothing across my desk along with the scarf, folded up my bedding and finished packing up my solitary box, leaving my schoolbooks in the middle of the twin bed with my paperwork on top. She nods her head to me and steps into the hallway, leaving me privacy to pull on white skinny jeans with a navy, green and black plaid print, a plum oversized sweater and Edward's charcoal grey scarf, which I have to wrap around my neck several times. She enters the room with Jasper on her heels as I slip on my regular shoes.

Jasper bows to me, though less formally than Alice. "Forgive me, my Lady, but I couldn't help but overhear your exchange this morning. You wish to leave today, I assume?"

"That's right," I answer.

"Very well. Where to first?"

I bite my lip, feeling the pressure of orders weighing heavily on my shoulders. I'd never been one to boss other's around; hell, I'd never exactly been given the opportunity. But I've always had a strong sense of responsibility and what was more responsible than this?

Clearing my throat, I square my shoulders. "I'd like the box to go into the town car, along with the duffel and the bedding. Then we'll stop by the administration building to drop off the paperwork. From there, I need to stop by the diner where I work and resign my position. And lastly, my Dad's house to drop off the bedding…and to pick up a few things."

Jasper nods and moves to stack the duffel on top of the box, lifting them both easily and moving into the hallway. Alice, for her part, takes the bedding, leaving me a small pile of books.

I leave the key to my dorm and room in the middle of the bed and hurry after Alice and Jasper.

Time speeds up again as we follow my plan, coming across no barriers besides disappointment and sympathy from Sue, as she thinks the reason for my departure is my Dad's health.

Dad, however, is a predictably confused difference. "You're _what?_"

I shift uneasily in the doorway of the living room. Dad never really had a reason to yell at me when I was younger, but _now_ I wasn't sure is that was the case. Thankfully, Dad didn't have a problem with his health, aside from the obvious.

I clear my throat. "I was accepted into an overseas program in France," I repeat slowly, the lie feeling heavy on my tongue.

At first, I hadn't been sure what to tell Dad – there wasn't much about school that I kept from him. But this scenario was _plausible_, if not believable. And, better yet, France fit perfectly; after all, wasn't I some reincarnated French maiden?

Dad crosses his arms over his chest. "And you're leaving _today_?"

"Yes," I say without hesitation.

Dad was in the Navy.

I'm almost sure they trained him to be a human lie detector.

_Maybe_.

"This is very sudden, Bella."

I wince. "I know, Dad. But I didn't want to tell you until it was certain…"

Dad snorts. "I'm sure it was _certain_ a few days ago. Why wait until now? On the day that you're leaving?"

I sigh, gathering my wits because I could feel myself wavering – _forget it, Dad, I'm not really going to France! I'm going to Canada to meet up with my Canadian soul mate because someone's trying to kill him and me, probably, again after two hundred years. By the way, did you know we were alive back then? Crazy, right?_

"I don't know what I'm doing, Dad," I confess, feeling my shoulders slump forward. "But I _feel_ like this is the right path for me to take."

A weight lifts off my chest.

_Of course this is the right thing to do._

Dad, though, assumes I'm talking about the overseas program. "UDub isn't cutting it for you, kid?"

"Something like that."

Dad scratches his facial hair absently. "I always knew you were destined for bigger things, Bella. This seems like something big. I can't stop you from going but I can give you my full support. If this is something that you need to do, then do it."

I smile.

Dad doesn't even know how _perfect_ those words are – how they apply to my real situation.

I hug him tightly, breathing in his _Dad_ smell; a mixture of Old Spice and tobacco and peppermints. "I love you, Dad."

He strokes my hair, holding me tighter for a moment. "Love you, too, kid."

With Dad's blessing, I race up to my room and go straight to Mom's old jewelry box. Not knowing when or if I'll ever be back here makes my entire body ache…but I can't just stay away from Edward, either. I can, however, take reminders – like Mom's heavy charm bracelet and her solitary diamond necklace and Dad's old watch. I slip the bracelet and the watch onto the same wrist and carefully put the delicate necklace into my jeans pocket. Looking around my childhood room, I quickly locate an old book of French poetry that Mom was fond of, several of my favorite clothes – including a few more Navy shirts – a storybook Dad used to read me and a carrying case for _Daisy Duck,_ which was currently sitting in the box on my bed. Securing the pipe and a small stash and hiding them in a small bundle of clothes, I grab my books and glance back at my room from the doorway.

_I hope I can come back here._

I give Dad one more lingering hug and find my resolve to leave with my head held high because I know this is the right thing for me to do – how could it not be?

Alice immediately takes my burden from me, easily squeezing the items into the stuffed duffel bag in the trunk; Jasper holds the door open for me and closes it soundlessly as I sit down on the luxurious leather seat.

Once on the highway, Jasper quietly informs me that the trip into Canada will be broken up into two parts – a road trip to Vancouver Island and a helicopter ride into the deep north of the country.

I settle into my seat, closing my eyes and fiddling with the accessories on my left wrist.

_Soon, Edward. Soon._

* * *

**A/N: Woo, an update! :D Hope everyone had a good holiday or **_**will**_** have a good holiday, since I know there are a few to still be celebrated. Mine was great. Lots of relaxing that I needed!**

**SIDE NOTE! It's happened! The Lemonade Stand recognized this story and now we have a **_**ton **_**of new readers! Welcome! Thank you!**

**Shout out to the first ten reviews of the last chapter (plus guests)…**

**Kathy – While I'm usually flattered by reviews that say "**_**please update!",**_** I am **_**not**_** flattered by reviews that say **_**"Seriously? It's been two weeks! Update already"**_**. I don't appreciate that type of tone in a review, especially since **_**I**_** am one of the authors that not only regularly update, but I finish every story I start. While I recognize that you will be without internet, you should remember that my writing is **_**free**_** – I honestly don't owe you anything. I'll update when I update. Like everyone else, I deserve to have a stress free holiday and trying to keep up with updates over Christmas is unnecessary – especially since I'm on Winter Break from my classes. Excuse me for needing and wanting a break.**

**Maysnrs – Yes! Lol I think they both did the right thing in this situation, though. She got her time and then she gets to go with him! Win win!**

**WishingWellPenny – "mighty pair of balls" was one of my finer moments lol**

**Twilight Rocker 12 – lol J'adore Blood **_**does**_** sound horrible, but…well, me too, girl. Me too lol**

**Jansails – I'm glad you're enjoying the slight rollercoaster!**

**Lilypad10 – He doesn't expect her to leave her life behind, but then again…he kind of does. Men, right! Lol**

**Jmcfall – I did hear about Carano's loss and with what's happened lately in America, it really hits me hard. I grieve for her, along with the rest of the fanfiction world.**

**1sparklygirl – LOL Yeah, Bella! You've already been separated for 200 years! Geez!**

**Pumpkinmykitty – Hmm, I hope my Bella is a little bit more selfish than cannon Bella. And Emmett's a darn cockblocker lol**

**Sadie1787 – LOL I did leave a cliffy, huh? My bad, my bad…but not really, it was intentional!**

**Super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter…Glitter Poisoned My Blood – Oh. They'll shag. And when they shag, we're gonna know about it.**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it (and dish it out).**

**~cupcakeriot**

****Due to the fact that it's been two weeks since I last updated, I will not be responding to reviews outside of this authors note unless you had a question on the last chapter. Review responses will go back to normal after this update.****


	23. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twlight!**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Two**

_**Isabella Swan**_

The perks of being attached to a royal name – vampire or not – became very apparent by the time we reached the ferry that would take us out of Washington state and into Canadian territory.

They had their own ferry.

The vampires.

It made sense, in a way; even with name and identification changes, having a ferry operated by vampires to serve vampires took away the temptation of human blood and, I assume, the tedious task of pretending to be human.

The operator of the ferry was incredibly nondescript and, upon hearing that Jasper was the Prince's royal guard, went to great lengths to secure peace for us during the trip. I was a bit in awe of the completely question-free service provided to us.

It didn't seem real.

Of course, this kind of treatment was totally foreign to me. I was acutely accustomed to working _hard_ for everything I had – except in the case of school, as my memory was an asset. It was still odd to me that Jasper and Alice treated me with such unconditional respect and even the ferry operator extended the same courtesy, even though he had almost no way of knowing exactly _who_ I am.

It was becoming more and more clear that vampires, as a society, tended to observe very traditional customs – the bowing and formal language to name a couple. None of them seemed to be able to shake off the prestige of their original times and for those who were born and changed in modern times, they adopted the same behavior.

I felt a lot like an outsider looking in, trying to figure out the correct way to behave in the situations that were coming into my life.

With Edward by my side, I felt a lot more comfortable.

I sigh, looking out the window of the ferryboat, watching the blue-grey choppy water. We are moving against the current and, to add to the ominous imagery, the clouds above are rolling and dark.

My mood sinks and my fingers fiddle with one of the dragonfly charms on my mother's bracelet.

"My Lady?" Alice quietly calls to me, her cool presence brushing up against my elbow.

"Hmm?"

"Would you like a refreshment?"

_I know vampires can eat and drink human food, but I hope she doesn't forget that I don't like type O negative. _

"Tea?"

"Hot or cold, my Lady?"

I glance at the dark clouds. "Hot."

"Would you like lemon? Sugar? Honey? Milk?"

I turn my eyes from the sky. "Just honey and milk, Alice. Thank you."

Alice drops a quick curtsey and nods to Jasper, who is standing near a corner window, and disappears from view.

It doesn't escape my notice that I've begun to give small orders and requests – I'm not sure what to think about it. In some ways, it comes naturally, presumably from the lost French soul I once had; but in other ways, it feels so wrong, so unnatural.

I sigh again, shaking off my thoughts. I feel on edge and it's starting to mess with me – especially since I have _no_ reason to be feeling like this.

But still…

"Jasper?"

Instantly, he is by my side, alert in a way only vampires can be. "Yes, my Lady?"

"Are we safe here?"

Jasper frowns. "Of course we are, my Lady. This is the safest transit for vampires to cross country boundaries. Do you not feel safe?"

I wave my hand. "I'm sure it's just my imagination."

Jasper nods his head once, blond hair tinted green in the weak lighting. "Regardless, I will be on guard, my Lady. You are precious cargo."

I smile weakly at that and Jasper blends himself into the shadows.

Alice comes back, tea in hand, though she looks at the paper cup with distaste. "Forgive me, my Lady, there was no China."

"It's fine," I tell her. "I like tea better in a paper cup anyway."

Alice blinks.

_Come on. There has to be some sense of humor in there somewhere!_

I sip on my tea, my eyes trained on the sky outside and the crashing waves. Oddly enough, just as a quick bolt of lightening strikes out, the vampire ferry operator seeks shelter in our little nook on the boat. The hair on the back of my neck stands up – _something isn't right_.

Jasper, with blinding speed and a relaxed smile, appears in front of him. "Is everything alright?"

The ferry operator's eyes flick away from me but his face remains impassive. "Nothing at all."

Jasper hums in the back of his throat and Alice moves closer to me – a defensive move.

Evidently, _my_ vampires think something's up, too.

If the ferry operator is here…

_Then who is driving the ferry? I know I didn't see any staff! It's just him and his boat!_

I feel my heart hammering in my chest.

A fierce headache blooms behind my eyes.

Alice's hand clamps down on mine as I stutter in a breath.

Jasper and the other vampire seem to be in a stand off of sorts and it looks serious, even though they are both deadly still.

Another crack of lightening.

They move.

The ferry operator is stout and looks older, but Jasper is _quick_ and lithe.

Not quick enough.

As an observer, I could see what Jasper's downfall was; he was trying to shield Alice and I, leaving his attack movements stunted and his strategies limited. His opponent had nothing holding him back.

And it became abundantly apparent when a hard blow, which sounded like stones being thrown together, knocked Jasper to the side for just long enough.

Long enough for the ferry operator to come at Alice and I.

Long enough to push Alice's tiny frame to the side.

Long enough for him to grab me, holding me against his chest with my back to him, my neck ensnared in a tight chokehold.

Jasper stands, growling lowly, reaching out for Alice and pulling her behind his crouched body. "Release her."

The arm around my neck tightens, cutting off my air supply for a few dizzying seconds. "I have orders."

"From who?"

"From _my_ Master," the ferry operator says. One of his hands clamp down on my hip, rough cold fingers bruising the skin. "She smells divine," he comments. "Untouched, really, except for the scent of your Prince smeared across her and in her blood. But she's still a virgin, ripe for the picking. I don't think my Master would begrudge me if I indulged in such a rare find."

Jasper snarls.

Alice actually looks scared – and that's what makes my stomach sink.

I'm too frightened to process much of anything; only that I've been in this position before with Paul and that I'm really getting sick of these worthless men treating me like an object.

Fury courses through my veins, traces of Edward's blood feeding the emotion, tripling it and making the anger into a swarm of rage – and the headache behind my eyes explodes.

My world shifts.

Literally.

I see distinct points of light in the center of Jasper and Alice's foreheads – his is deep red and hers is a swirling, muddy blue. Instinctively, I know what those colors mean.

Jasper is fighting for survival – his, mine and Alice's.

Alice is simply overwhelmed by fear.

I blink.

_Have I seen this before?_

No.

_I_ haven't.

_Isobell_ _has_.

Isobell, the French soul inside me.

She knows exactly what this is, knows exactly how to interpret the colors, knows _exactly_ what to do.

It's not that she's talking to me – she can't. But her soul, _my_ soul, is waking up, guiding me, enlightening me. When she died, our soul took the knowledge with it, ready to pass on the wisdom when the reincarnation cycle allowed it to pass through the astral planes.

All of this flashes through my mind in a blinding second – Jasper is still snarling, the air is still being forced out of my body, a hand is still groping my hip.

A separate part of my mind opens up.

I stare at my reflection found in the clear glass behind Jasper.

My pupils glow white, iridescent, a sign of pure mind energy ready to be transferred; the white pupil expands until only a thin ring of violet iris is visible between the white of my eyes and my glowing pupils.

I focus on the glass – specifically, the reflection of the ferry operator behind me and the muddied red pulse of light on his third eye, the dark red color right on the entrance to his mind.

Staring at his reflection, I don't blink, don't draw my gaze away from that dark point of light.

_Let me go. Now_, I order him.

My heart hammers.

For a moment, I don't think it will work.

But slowly, the dirty red color fades and brightens into metallic silver – he's receptive.

He releases me slowly.

_Step away, into the corner. _

He moves, my eyes follow him. His face is lax, his eyes glazed.

_Stay._

The vampire freezes in his corner, ashen with a single point of silver light over the center of his mind.

Jasper moves, his mind energy now bright red with confidence, toward the ferry operator. His movements are cautious and his face is almost bewildered. "My Lady?"

"Yes, Jasper?" I ask, almost unable to recognize my voice – it's too serene.

"How long will he stay like this?"

"Until I release him," I answer confidently.

Jasper swallows. "And how long will that be?"

I frown, pressing my fingers to my temples, where the exploding headache behind my eyes has moved with startling speed. I feel dizzy again – my adrenaline spike is fading. "Not much longer."

Jasper's face wipes clean, an air of serious duty overtaking him. "Understood, my Lady."

I turn away from Jasper and his task of physically subduing the vampire ferry operator. Alice is standing at my side, the fading soft blue light on her third eye assuring me that she intuitively knows about what just happened.

"My Lady?" she smiles gently, eyeing me with eagerness – and questions in her eyes, though she's too polite to ask them.

Another wave of dizziness crests over me. I feel my influence over the vampire fading, along with the glowing white of my pupils. "I'm about to faint," I tell her.

As I speak, my knees go weak and my vision blurs on the edges.

A startled growl from the ferry operator fills the small glass cabin.

Alice moves to catch me, slowly bringing my body to rest on the ground as we listen to Jasper quickly destroy the other vampire.

Black light dances over my vision.

"It's alright, my Lady," Alice tells me, brushing my hair away from my face. "You're safe now."

Light fades and I feel weightless.

* * *

**A/N: Whoooa. What just happened? I mean, **_**I know**_** what happened. But do you…? Hmm.**

**Shout out to the first ten reviews of the last chapter (plus guests):**

**Edwardlover752 – All in one day?! Whaaat? Lol That's awesome!**

**Isabella – Hi! Nope, I always always always finish my stories – sometimes too abruptly, but they **_**do**_** have endings! Lol**

**Guest (who isn't Kathy) – I think I love you!**

**Edward's spouse – I give you more, my dear!**

**Headinthecloudsss – How were your holidays? I think I caught up on sleep! **

******morena davidson 3 **– I won't stop! Thanks for the patience!

**Katiekrm – I'm so happy that my story is that special! To read with out stopping? Highest compliment!**

**Pumpkinmykitty – I, for one, am glad that you got out of your sick bed for that chapter!**

**Twilight Rocker 12 – HAHA! My awesomeness has blown up your words! Lol**

**vampyregirl86 – LOL It was kind of a 180! But a good one! **

**Lilypad10 – They do need each other to function!**

**TwiSagaLover – Perhaps I should make chapters longer….nahhhh… :-p**

**Superspecial shout out to the first review of the last chapter…. boo1414 – The reunion is coming up! We hope!**

**Alright, I'm off to take a nap!**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**


	24. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Three**

_**Isabella Swan**_

Helicopters, by trade, are loud machines. This one is no exception. The quick tattoo of the rotating wings pushing against air beat in my ears, a numbingly loud sound that reached my eardrums through the headphones on my head – _I'm sure I have Alice to thank for these_.

I blink, my eyes first landing on the stunning geography of Canadian land passing underneath me at an alarming rate. But I was supposed to be here, right? This was part of Jasper's plan – ferry, helicopter, Edward.

All in order.

Oh.

_But the ferry_…

No, that didn't go as planned. Certainly not. Who could have predicted those events? The vampire ferry operator had _seemed_ innocent, kind enough – and he apparently had a _Master_. A Master who wanted to harm Edward or me or had some kind of agenda and now, since Jasper killed that vampire, we had no way of knowing _who_ this _Master_ was.

Irritation flashes through me, but I quell it; that particular vampire's death was a good thing, in a certain light, at least. And besides, _something_ good had come from the altercation.

_My…what? My gift? Curse?_

I know exactly what it is.

It finally makes sense.

My entire life, people avoided my eyes and, when they did catch my gaze, odd things happened; they walked away or forgot what they were going to say or gave me things for free.

And _now_ it makes sense.

They walked away because I wanted them to leave.

They forgot what they were going to say because I didn't want to listen to them.

They gave me things simply because I wanted them.

Isobell's part of my soul remembers this.

Mind control.

I feel a giddy burst of nerves bloom in my chest – _mind control?_

But…it was a solid truth that my very soul – that my past life, Isobell – knew.

Something tangible.

A knowledge that I can fully understand and grasp, even though I feel trouble articulating exactly _what _it is.

The third eye, a convenient, reliable chakra centered in the middle of the forehead; the third eye was the center of consciousness, the sheer force of living intelligence and control. And I had unlimited access to it and it's aura.

_Total_ control is what is really is.

Not just control of the mind.

From Isobell's memories, the one's her portion of our soul passed down to me, I knew that the mind control far out reached just the mind – and, if I wished, my influence would not be fleeting.

_Total control – mind, body and soul_.

Ultimate power.

Something to be careful of.

Something to treat with the respect it deserved.

And, apparently, something that even vampires were susceptible to.

Up until now, all my minor experiences with mind control were just that – minor. Fleeting. Weak in all aspects.

It was never something I was _aware _of. But now…now I knew how to use it. And how to not use it.

Ironically, the first thing that flashes through my mind after this realization is the fact that I can now look Edward in the eyes without having to worry.

I smile, a faint pulling at the sides of my mouth.

"Oh! My Lady! You're awake!"

I draw my gaze to Alice, who is sitting beside me, her body tense but her face relaxed, almost relieved. "How far away are we?"

"Nearly fifteen minutes, my Lady," Jasper answers in a smooth shout. He's sitting across from me, one eye on the vampire pilot and the other on Alice and me. Unlike myself, he is not buckled in and is not wearing headphones; his body is also tense, his eyes roving.

I allow myself to take a good look at both Alice and Jasper, checking their third eyes and smiling a bit to myself when I don't see the chakra aura.

_Good. Then I'm in control of the gift. _

"Do you need a refreshment, my Lady?" Alice inquires.

"No, thank you, Alice. I'm fine right now."

She frowns and a pucker forms on her brow. "Is there anything I can get you?"

I pointedly glance out the window. "I don't think you can at the moment."

"Oh," she says in realization. Then she does something I thought I would never see from her – she rolls her eyes, almost as if saying a silent _"duh, Alice"_.

I try not to let the surprise show on my face.

As far as I'm concerned, this is _progress_.

Eventually, while looking out the window, I spot a large, sprawling building – it's structure is almost in the shape of a crab, with a massive center and four or six buildings on either side that connect to the main mass. The land surrounding the building is dusted in heavy white snow, with tall trees looming and creating a forest to hide the stone building. A maze-like garden meets the thick of trees towards the back. On top of the center building, a helicopter pad made of neon yellow and black sits proudly in the center.

I blink, taking in the picturesque landscape, the gleaming grey-silver stones, the snow. "Is this…"

"Welcome home, my Lady," Jasper answers, bowing his head towards me.

"This is the home of the North American Royal Vampires," Alice adds, leaning towards me so I can hear her better. "The central building is a headquarters of sorts, where the King and the Princes work. The Queen often hosts the balls in the grand room. But it is _that_ building that you need concern yourself with, my Lady," she continues, pointing to one of the narrow wings that is situated to the side of the central building. Now that we're closer, I can see that the buildings themselves are not connected; instead, garden lined paths connect the outer structures to the inner. "That is Prince Edward's residence, _Violet Hall_."

"Violet Hall?" I ask, turning to look at Alica.

She nods eagerly, smiling widely. "Of course my Lady. I was not part of the court when the Prince renamed his home, but from what I hear, he renamed and restructured the entire building around two hundred years ago."

I listen to the words that Alice doesn't say and my eyes well up with stunned tears – _he renamed his home after Isobell's death…after our eye color._

Easily, this is the sweetest thing I have ever heard in my life.

The pilot lands the helicopter with practiced ease, the touchdown hardly jarring at all. Alice works quickly to unbuckle me, her fingers nimble as she takes the headset away from my ears; Jasper exits first and helps Alice and myself out.

I thank him quietly, turning to look at the dusty snow and the landscape before me, marveled by it's pristine perfection.

A door slams open behind me.

I spin around.

My heart pounds. My face flushes.

_Finally_.

It feels like such a gift to be able to look into his eyes and not be wary of odd reactions. His mint eyes are scorching, burning through my own, leaving a hot wake on my flesh – like he can see my skin beneath my clothes, even though that's impossible.

He doesn't hesitate for a second more, pulling me into his cold embrace with a fierceness that makes me breathless. His nose is buried in the crook of my shoulder, the tip cold and enticing shivers from my body. "Bella," he rasps, his words ending with a growl.

I feel my body _melt_ into his; every ounce of tension in my muscles instantly disappears as Edward supports the weight of my body easily in his strong grasp. My nose is pressed against his chest, his musky sweet scent invading my senses; his chest vibrates in a loud growl, a single deep, endless sound of warning.

"What happened?" he demands, drawing me impossibly closer.

"Sire," Jasper answers, hardly alarmed at Edward's behavior. "Perhaps there is a better place to speak."

Edward must agree since he swings me up in his hold, my knees over one elbow. I can't help myself; my arms twine around his neck, my fingers twisting into his soft nape of dark hair while my lips press against his exposed skin.

Edward hisses at me.

I look up – his mint eyes are nearly all pupil, it seems.

I shiver, feeling a wave of aroused intensity shoot through my body.

He purrs at me, leering at the exposed skin of my neck, drawing his eyes down the subtle curves of my body, his gaze resting at the apex of my thighs.

In his gaze, I read the word that he does not speak – _soon._

So distracted by Edward's instant seduction, I don't notice that we are in a warm office until Edward seats himself behind a large black and chrome desk – a very _modern_ choice for a 500 year old vampire. A sleek laptop is closed in the center of the desk, with a cell phone and silver ballpoint pens on either side, along with stark white pieces of paper, scribbled on in hasty foreign writing. The rest of the room is decorated in varying shades of deep plum and cobalt and an astounding amount of green-tinted glass.

Jasper locks the door behind him, motioning for Alice to seat herself in a straight-backed black leather chair near the door. He moves to stand in front of the desk, feet braced apart and his body relaxed.

"Speak," Edward orders.

Jasper doesn't hesitate, diving right into every second of what has happened since Edward left. There are points in the story where Edward grips me harder – like when Jasper describes me fainting.

"He's dead, correct?" Edward growls, moving his hand to hold my face against his neck, hid long fingers cold against my scalp. My fingers grip his shoulders as I shiver again – this time, in sheer _want_.

Jasper and Alice need to leave.

_Now._

As I have been sitting in Edward's lap, my entire being – my very blood – has been reacting to his close proximity. My heart has sped up and the only sound I can hear above the pounding of my heart is Edward's low growls and his slow, steady pulse. My skin feels oversensitive and there is a growing ache that needs to be remedied.

"He's dust, sire," Jasper answers.

"Good. Now leave."

I hear footsteps and then the definitive slam and lock of the door.

And then Edward's lips are heavy and hard on mine, his elongated fangs scraping against my lips, his tongue plunging into my mouth. He's _taking_ me and I've giving myself.

Growling, Edward pulls away, nipping at my chin, sucking the skin under my ear as I catch my breath. One of his hands moves to my breast, kneading the pliant flesh, trying to pluck at my nipple through my coat and sweater. Frustrated, he pulls away and literally rips my coat in half, throwing the pieces over his shoulder and across his desk. And then his cold hand is under my sweater, feeling for the sensitive points of my breasts, growling against my throat as I gasp and wiggle on his lap.

"_He touched you_," Edward growls with menace. "_Mine._"

Breathlessly, I agree with him while my mind tries to catch up to what is happening to my body – he's reaffirming I'm safe, I think.

Edward pushes my sweater over my head and lowers his mouth to my breasts, sucking harshly on my nipple for a moment before unceremoniously sinking his fangs into the peak. My back arches against him, my body swirling into a flashing orgasm, my fingers locked into his hair and holding him against me.

He pulls his fangs away, languidly lapping at the beading dots of blood on my breast – leisurely reigniting the flame in my core. His hands move back to my hips and he lifts me, sitting me on the edge of his desk, his fingers easily removing my pants. My face flushes hotly as I realize that I'm nearly naked and he's still wearing clothes – but I make no move to change it, especially when I realize his intentions.

A slow rip sounds through the room and another one right after – both sides of my panties are destroyed, the cloth simply resting on my skin. I keep my knees closed tight. "Edward…you can't."

He quirks a dark brow at me. "I can't?"

My face grows hotter. "Edward, I'm still on my period-"

Edward grins roguishly. "Oh, I _know_, princess," he growls deeply, moving his nose to my hip bone and sliding the tip across my skin and down, pushing the fabric of my underwear away. His hands come up to my knees and force them apart, exposing me to his hungry gaze.

I close my eyes.

_I want this. But at the same time, this is so embarrassing! Why would he want to be anywhere near _there_ while I'm still – Oh!_

My eyes snap open, catching site of my slender blood stained tampon in Edward's fingers. He's looking at it with something akin to jealously – _but how in the world did I miss him taking it out?_

"You won't be needing this, princess," he growls, dropping the tampon into a small silver trashcan.

I react instantly, my knees coming together; but Edward stops me, keeping them apart and even making my legs part wider. His cold hands adjust my position, pulling me closer to the edge of the desk and directing my hands to hold on to his shoulders. As my mind is nearly horrified by what is happening, my body is shivering with anticipation. The hungry, dark, possessive look in Edward's eyes hadn't diminished at all – if anything, the look has gotten darker.

He leans towards my core. "You are _mine,_" he declares. "_My mate. My Bella. Mine_."

And then, his mouth is right there – licking, sucking, prodding, nipping – and I'm mindless, my blood singing even as pleasure takes over every corner of my mind. Why did I ever want to stop this in the first place?

Edward growls against me after my second orgasm, his hands wrapped under my thighs to hold my legs open. His dark eyes glare up at me. "_Another one,_" he demands, lowering his mouth again.

He hasn't given me any time to recover; my core is overly sensitive, still twitching from the last time I came.

Edward ignores that, keeping a quick tongue against me, his lips suckling on my clit, his fangs scraping against my tender lips. A whimpering moan escapes my mouth as the orgasm over takes me – and just as the pleasure is peaking, Edward pulls away and sinks his fangs into my femoral artery, greedily drinking my blood, sending my body into a blinding tailspin.

* * *

**A/N: Vampires are kind of weird, huh? I…have nothing to say about this last scene here. Absolutely nothing.**

**Shout out to the first 10 reviews of the last chapter (plus guests):**

**NorthmanCullen – Whoa! Last chapter threw a lot of people! It's okay! It was just a little bit of mind control ;)**

**Flavia Ribeiro – How was this reunion? Disappointing? Lol**

**Guest – I'm not half as amazing as my reviewers!**

**Pumpkinmykitty – Damn! She does have SKILLS! Woot woot!**

**Wootmoot – the ferry operator's master is…. A WOMAN!**

**Insanemum – Yep! Bella is part Jedi!**

**TwilightVirtuosa – Did your mind go "BOOM" when I blew it up? Lol**

**Valentine Rain – How did you think Edward's reaction was? Lol**

**Holidai – Nope, Bella isn't multi-gifted. There is _no_ shield in this story!**

**Superspecial shout out to the last review of the last chapter…. Ahhleesaaa – LOL Yes! Bella is a badass beast Jedi person!**

**Anyways, I'm hungry hungry hungry – almost like those hippos, just not, you know, a hippo.**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**

P.S – HOW COOL IS IT THAT THIS STORY HAS 1000+ REVIEWS?! Thank you all for your constant support!


	25. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

**Chapter Twenty Four**

* * *

_Isabella Swan_

"Did you sustain any injuries?"

My fingers flutter to my neck, feeling the tender flesh – the small bruises from my earlier interaction with the ferry operator. "Nothing life threatening. Your blood from our last exchange is healing me, I think."

Edward pulls me closer in the confines of his strong arms. After our tryst in his personal office, Edward had quickly dressed and escorted me into his home, Violet Hall. He skipped the tour of the immaculate – yet masculine – building and ushered me into his personal rooms on the top floor. Like his office, Edward seemed to favor dark leathers, bright metals, glass and pops of deep violet color; the only unique addition to his bedroom was the presence of fluffy pelts over the massive bed.

Prizes from animals that he had caught and killed over the centuries.

In response to my horrified expression at seeing the evidence of his hunting prowess, Edward smiled – and told me that he didn't hunt frequently and never anything endangered or in the first years of life.

I reluctantly let the minor issue drop, even though it bothered me a little.

A few furs was nothing to get upset over.

Edward tilts my chin up to get a better look at my skin, making a low sound in the back of his throat, satisfied with the way the bruises look. "You'll be perfect in a few days."

"There's no such thing as perfection, Edward."

"_You_ are perfect."

"Edward-"

"Nobody else measures up to your standards."

"Edward, really-"

"Everyone pales in comparison, little mate."

"Are you trying to seduce me?"

He pauses, tucking my head under his chin. "Is it working?"

I snort, rolling my eyes. He went from concerned to playful in the blink of an eye – and that's exactly the reason why I love him. He's everything I can't be and everything that I need. "I'm awfully tired, Edward."

His lips brush against my ear. "Mmmm, then let's go to bed."

I glance out the window – where did the hours go? The sky is dark and dotted with shinning stars beneath sparse, rolling clouds. And Edward's bedroom did seem to be comfortable and warm, certainly a change from the chilling weather of the day. I can almost feel the night terrors rolling in, a product of my fear from what happened earlier today and of the memories that Isobell had shown me.

_I need to toke._

Edward had shown a mild displeasure at my smoking habit – he didn't understand it.

But even with Edward's presence and his arms holding me as I sleep, the nightmares would reappear because everything was still so fresh.

I pull away from Edward's arms and move towards my bags, which had been placed near the feminine wardrobe. I quickly locate my pipe, turning to Edward with an inquisitive expression.

His face is nearly blank, but his eyes are zeroed in on the small yellow and blue pipe in my grasp. "Should I step out?"

"If you feel like you need to," I answer slowly.

"I don't want to."

I nod, pushing my hair to one shoulder and sitting down in one of his black leather oversized chairs. As I ready Daisy Duck, Edward circles around me, a calculating expression on his face; his hands dart out when I lift the lighter.

"Edward?"

"Close your eyes," he orders silkily.

Obediently, I do – and almost immediately, I hear the hiss of the lighter and smell the almost-sweet scent of weed.

Then Edward's lips are coaxing mine open and he's breathing smoke into my lungs; everything about the taste is so much sweeter than usual. He nips at my bottom lip as I hold the smoke in my lungs before I turn my head and exhale.

Lazily, I open my eyes, somewhat startled to see mint green staring right back at me – and I don't look away because I don't have to anymore. "What was that?"

He looks pensive for a moment; then, a relaxed shrug of his broad shoulders. "I may not exactly _approve_ of this drug use, but I'm not going to stop you. I'll keep you safe."

"Safe from the weed?"

"Safe from the world, little mate, especially if your judgment is impaired."

I bob my head absently, taking another quick puff – I need my head to be nice and foggy so I can sleep. Leisurely cleaning up the glass pipe, I stand, stretching up on my tip toes. My toes wiggle against the plush carpet of his room and I sigh, relishing in the luxury.

Edward is observing me from the middle of the room, his face calm and impassive, arms crossed over his broad chest as I absently wiggle my toes.

I feel light.

Light.

"There's too much _light_," I tell him, raising my chin a bit.

A single brow twitches. "Is that so?"

"It is so," I answer quickly, giggling a bit at the mirth on his face. I sigh again and wiggle my toes in the carpet. "Lights off?"

Edward moves around the room, clicking off lights and the twin lamps and then leading me to the bed, directing me to sit. He kneels before me, kneading my thighs in a soothing rhythm. "Are you tired?"

I yawn in response, infinitely relaxed.

His fingers pluck at my jeans. "Take these off then, princess."

I nod and fumble with my button and zipper; Edward helps me pull of the skinny jeans when I give up, the material bunched around my knees, my thighs bare and rippling with gooseflesh in response to the suddenly cool air.

He folds up the jeans, placing them over the chair I sat in earlier, then moves towards one of the two wardrobes in the room. Coming back to me with a white thermal shirt, he kneels again at my feet – my height above him instantly reminds me of the escapades we participated in earlier and my arousal suddenly skyrockets.

Edward's nose flares and he closes his eyes. "Bella…"

"Hmmmm?" I pause, a smile twitching at the corner of my mouth. I'm so tired. I feel so light. "Mmmmmmmmm," I hum, enjoying the slight vibration of my lips.

"Princess, can we get you changed into this?" he asks, gesturing to the white thermal shirt he placed near my hip.

I bet it smells like him.

I quickly throw off my thick sweater, shivering when his eyes land on my bare breasts.

Small boobs are awesome, sometimes.

Blinking, Edward helps me tug on his shirt; the button-snap neckline is so large, one side exposing my whole shoulder; the sleeves absolutely dwarf my arms and, had I been standing, the hemline of the shirt would easily almost reach my knees.

"You're so _big_," I tell him, awe laced in my voice as my eyes are locked on my hands beneath the floppy warm, white fabric.

Edward makes a choked sound and I glance up at him curiously.

"Edward?" I yawn.

He takes a deep breath. "In the bed," he orders gently, kissing my brow, helping me get under the heavy furs and soft, silky sheets.

"Sleep with me?" I request, closing my eyes.

Another choked sound.

"Are you okay, Edward?"

He clears his throat. "Of course, princess. Give me a second."

"Hurry," I tell him sleepily. "I'm cold."

He snorts and I wonder why – then I remember. _Duh_. Edward carries about as much body heat as an icicle.

_But he's also so hot_.

"What did you say, Bella?"

"Huh?"

"Who's so hot? You? Do you have a fever?"

I feel flames on my face. _I said that out loud. I'm not used to being freshly high around people! Usually I have enough time to let the high mellow so I can seem kind of normal-_

"It's okay, Bella. I think it's cute."

"What's cute?" I ask, watching with bleary eyes and he climbs into his huge bed beside me, wearing soft sleep clothes.

He levels me with a calculating glance as he slides closer, pulling me into his cool embrace. "Nothing, princess," he answers, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. "Let's just go to sleep. Tomorrow, we _will_ be talking about what happened today."

I nod heavily against his chest.

Feeling safe from his arms and relaxed from Daisy Duck, I succumb to sleep quickly; the cool sensation of his breath against the top of my head and the strength of his chest against my back lull me into a deep, unmoving slumber.

When the sun is glaringly high in the sky the next morning – or _afternoon _ – I wake, still wrapped up in Edward's arms. His huge bay windows are free from the dark curtains, letting in every ounce of sunshine into the room. Much more clear-headed than the night before, my fingers grope the sleek edge of his bloodstone ring, grateful that he can see and feel the sun, though the rays do absolutely nothing to warm his pale skin.

His cool nose nuzzles against the back of my neck and I feel him yawn behind me – my vampire slept last night.

Still a little mellow from my high last night, I laugh at the feeling and Edward growls playfully in response. Our moment of fun is ruined by a perfectly timed knock on his door; Edward sighs and slips from bed, opening the door just enough so that I am hidden from view.

"What?"

"Sire," Jasper greets lowly, sounding distinctly uncomfortable, even though Jasper had never shown an ounce of awkwardness in the time I'd known him. He clears his throat. "Alice has a missive from the Queen to Lady Isabella."

My brows shoot up – the _Queen_? For a second, I picture the Queen of England with fangs, before shaking my head. _I'm sure a vampire queen is a bit younger. Right?_

"I see," Edward says, shifting. He takes the offered envelope, nodding to Jasper. "Check in on the progress of the investigation."

Edward closes the door and turns, glancing at the pristine white envelope in his hand. Shrugging, he hands it to me; the paper is heavy, clearly expensive and sealed with a startling red wax crest. Apparently, the Queen still favored certain old practices, updating the missive from a scroll to a letter but keeping the traditional sealing technique.

Carefully, I open the letter, mildly fascinated with the wax seal, and pull out equally heavy paper. I scan the tilted cursive and let my eyes linger on the flourish of the signature – _Sincerely, Queen of North America, Esme Cullen._

* * *

**A/N: SO, real life has been kicking my ass – college, family, illness, my dog is crazy and I've been in training for my job. I suck for not getting this out sooner, but there **_**is**_** good news – the story has less than 10 chapters left, I think! That might be bad news for some of you lol**

**Shout out to the first ten reviews (plus guests):**

Aabc – Yes! The "power" talk is coming up!

Sadie1787 – How about just being in a state of horrified goo? Because I was!

Maysnrs – lol It _was_ hot and gross at the same time!

Twilight Rocker 12 – This is a hairy fic! Lol

Dipsydoodle – He went there. He more than went there…lol

Lilydukes – Glad you thought so!

2old4fanfic – I believe all moms should have mind control!

twilight-saga-lover95 – lol Yep, it was gross. I felt weird writing it, but he's a vamp!

Pumpkinmykitty – I also consider this question answered, even if it is pretty gross! Lol

Love M Go Blue – LOL you had to fan yourself? Oh, dear!

**Super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, **Nalia-R, I totally get a smile when I get a review, so on posting days, I get a super huge constant smile! lol

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**

**p.s: there was some kind of glitch between my email and fanfiction so I only got some reviews and not others – if you don't get a PM from me about the last chapter, I'm sorry and thank you for reading!**


	26. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Five**

_**Isabella Swan**_

"Her name was Isobel, you know," I tell him, twisting my fingers absently in the sheets beneath me. His mother's missive sat on my lap and though the request sat in the back of my mind, my immediate loyalty was not to the Queen – it was to her son, to Edward, and he required my promised attention. The Queen could wait.

I don't glance up at Edward; I don't need to, not really. His feet shuffle nearly soundlessly on his plush carpet before he moves towards me, sitting on the bed in front of me, brushing his mother's missive off my lap; large, cold, gentle hands pull me into the comforting cradle of his chest.

Lips press into the crown of my head. "Isobel," he repeats, absently twirling my hair in the tips of his fingers.

Suddenly, a question that had been lurking in my very soul presses against my lips; Isobel and I, our soul, had been idly thinking on it, wondering how he saw us, if he missed the last us, if we were as good as the last us. Convoluted. It hardly made any sense. "Is she your real mate?"

"No," he answers immediately.

Half of my heart is ecstatic, the other half drooping hopelessly.

Edward's hand coaxes my face up towards his, focusing his mint eyes on mine. "But, princess, that's not even a question to ponder. Asking that…you make it sound like she and you are different people."

"Aren't we?"

Edward smiles. "It's your heart, your soul, that belongs exclusively to me. You're the same person," he says logically.

I nod – of course I am. These silly insecure feelings have come from Isobel's soul reawakened in me. _And_, a small part of myself admits, _it has to do a little bit with the Queen's missive, because I'm completely out of my element. She's asking something of me that Isobel would have handled better._

Edward kisses me, soft, sweet and too short. "Besides," he continues, breathing cool breath into my face. "I know _you_ so much better; my body merely recognized Isobel's soul. It was you that my heart started to beat for."

I feel heat rise in my face and happiness pulse through my bones. God, but what did I do to deserve him?

He kisses my temple. "My mother's letter," he begins. "Is it time sensative?"

I close my eyes, recalling each delicate script written on the exquisitely expensive paper. "Yeah, it is. About an hour, maybe? I need a shower," I tell him, opening my eyes.

I'd never really seen Edward leer, but…he was doing it. Leering. It was devious.

My pulse quickens.

As quickly as the leer had appeared, it disappeared. Edward's face became completely innocent. "You talk, I'll listen."

"What about my shower?"

"You talk in the shower," he shrugs, holding his hand out, helping me stand, leading me towards his massive bathroom.

"Are you a closet pervert?"

He blinks at me. "Of course not. I don't even like closets."

Another brilliant example of vampire-human miscommunication.

I roll my eyes. "Turn around."

"Why?" he pouts. I can almost read it from his mind – _I've already seen most of it, princess, and I'll be seeing all of it soon_.

I snort. "Just do it."

He complies slowly. As soon as his back is to me, I shrug out of his white thermal shirt, sliding my panties down my legs. Edward seems to twitch with every rustle of clothing.

Naked, I turn to his shower, blinking in confusion at the overly complicated technology. Frowning, I reach past the glass sliding door, touching a button on the sleek silver pad on the grey tiles – and four jets of water shoot out from the walls.

I screech, jumping back.

"Bella!" Edward yells, his cold body suddenly pressing against my bare back. "What? What is it?"

Embarrassed by my freak-out, I put my head in my hands. "Can you work this thing?"

He chuckles, pressing his body close to mine, reaching past me to fiddle with the buttons on the shower until steam fogs up from the warm water. Edward pauses, his chest cold against my back, even through the thin fabric of his shirt; when he pulls back, he places a careful, cool kiss on the top of my shoulder.

I shudder slightly, chills shooting down my spine.

"Thank you," I murmur, stepping into the shower, glancing back at him, surprised to see that his back is turned in a show of respect for my privacy.

"Anytime, princess," he replies, a smile in his voice. "Now, tell me about this gift you have."

I groan under my breath, stepping into the path of the four showerheads, closing my eyes to protect them from water. "Are we sure it's a _gift_? This seems like something that could become a curse….mind control…"

"Is it complete mind control?"

Squinting my eyes open, I reach for the shampoo in the shower, somewhat surprised that it's actually _my_ brand of shampoo. Squirting a liberal amount on my hand, I begin to work the creamy soap through my hair. "It can be. Or it can be fleeting," I answer carefully. "I could make it permanent, I think. If I wanted to. But…it seems like that would be like creating a bond, you know?"

"A bond?"

"Yeah," I say, scrubbing my scalp with suds. "I mean, whoever I put under complete mind control would be totally dependent on me for the rest of their lives. That's not something I want to be responsible for. It would be like having a living robot. So creepy."

Edward makes a humming noise and I think he turns around, leaning against the double sink. The fog on the glass is so thick I can barely make out his shape as I rinse my hair.

"How do you access this mind control?"

"Third eye," I say quickly. "It's like I can turn it on and off, seeing this aura on the third eye. The weirdest thing is that vampires have it, too."

"Why would that be weird?"

"Vampires barely reacted to my eyes before."

"Your eyes?"

I nod, forgetting that he can't see me. "Uh, yeah," I say lowly, applying conditioner and winding my hair up into a bun so the water could hit my shoulders. "Strange reactions happened my whole life when people looked into my eyes. Remember that test I took for you? The teacher? He just…walked away when he was about to make a big deal out of it."

"So, this gift is innate."

"It is," I agree. "I think that even now, if I looked at someone and just had a brief thought, they would follow through. I wouldn't even have to access their third eye. They would just automatically do what I wanted them to, but it would be fleeting – like evasion, or something. Getting to the third eye, switching on the lights so to speak, takes a few more seconds of time. It's almost like just looking at my eyes buys me the time I need to get into their third eye aura."

"It's a gateway."

"Exactly."

"Princess, I think this _is_ a gift."

I'm quiet in response, rinsing my hair off and the suds from my body. "I have to be careful, Edward."

"Of course you do," he says, quick to respond. "It would be irresponsible to just use your gift when ever, princess. Using it wisely is smart. And keeping it a secret from the other nobility is even smarter."

I blink in his direction, feeling the hot water rush over my skin. "How so?"

"Anybody who knows about you will assume you are weak. But you have a secret weapon," he tells me. "If I was ever unable to protect you….you would have a way to protect yourself."

I bite my lip, not liking the thoughts that come with Edward's words. "But you'll always protect me," I tell him firmly.

Edward laughs. "Of course, princess."

I smile. "Edward, I'm starting to prune."

"Prune?"

"Yes."

"You're becoming a dried plum?"

I laugh aloud, recognizing his odd, lighthearted humor. "Could I get a towel?"

"I'll have to look," he says, a rasp entering his voice.

"Not if you close your eyes."

"I'll see it all eventually, princess."

"Can't a woman have _some_ mystery?"

"What kind of mystery is that? I've seen the top, I've seen the bottom and I've seen the back, just not all at the same time."

I blush, pressing random buttons on the silver pad until the water turns off. "Just send the towel over the glass."

He does, reluctantly, and then turns around as I quickly dry off, wrapping the towel tightly around my chest. I sigh, feeling clean, and ask for the time.

I don't have much time before I have to meet the Queen. "Where's Alice?"

Edward, ever so attentive to my needs, opens the door to his bedroom, leaving me in the bathroom, and mutters to someone in the hallway. A few moments later, Alice is rushing into the room, dropping into a quick curtsy to Edward and then turning to me, bowing her head as her knees bend again. "My Lady," she greets, smiling. "How may I assist you?"

I lick my lips, standing straighter.

Edward looks on with a mild expression of approval.

"Could you find me something appropriate to wear? I'm meeting the Queen in thirty minutes."

Alice flashes me a smile, moving quickly to the feminine wardrobe against the wall and quickly picking out an outfit. Setting the clothes on the bed, she looks back at me. "Your hair cannot be wet when you meet the Queen, my Lady," she tells me, ushering me into the bathroom, lacy little garments in her hands.

Closing the door, she frees me of my towel, ignoring the embarrassed blush from the unceremonious reveal of my body. I slip on the simple black lace bra and panties, trying not to think about how my exact measurements ended up in that wardrobe – I seriously do not need to know. Alice is moving quickly around the bathroom, setting various items on the counter; mousse and a blow dryer and a large curling iron, some kind of obscure spray, which she immediately applies to my combed out hair. She works quickly, drying my hair into soft waves, styling the dark tresses in large curls, pinning a large section behind my ear with a shinning silver comb. I opt out of make up, save for a quick coat of mascara.

Edward is not in the bedroom when we return, but that's fine with me since the whole reveal-of-me-in-lingerie should be saved for a time when he can actually appreciate it. Alice goes back to the wardrobe, digging in the large bottom drawer while I quickly pull on dark grey skinny jeans with a black rose overlay and a vibrant silk amethyst blouse with capped sleeves and a scoop neck. Alice places black suede pumps before me, adjusting my hair when I stand back up to my full height, slightly uncomfortable with the shoes but understanding that it's part of the image.

"You look wonderful, my Lady."

"Thank you, Alice," I smile, fighting off the nerves that are suddenly crawling up my throat. "Will we be on time?"

"Of course, my Lady," she answers, leading me out of the room.

I glance down the halls as we maneuver out of Violet Hall – Edward is nowhere to be found. _His life doesn't revolve around me. He's a busy guy._

_He's a prince._

Prince.

And I was meeting his Queen – _his mother_.

I feel sick.

My fingers clench as I focus on walking as straight as possible. I'd always been graceful enough to pass through life but I felt that meeting a person this important called for a higher level of grace – one I wasn't sure I actually had.

Alice notices my sudden stiffness and bows her head, slowing her steps until she is matching mine. "My Lady, if I may, the Queen is not as intimidating as her title indicates."

I force out a sigh, taking her words to heart.

Alice is, after all, honest and timid to a fault.

Nodding, I pause, gathering my wits before Alice leads me towards tall oak double doors that seem to be in the center of the main building of the compound palace. "My Lady, the throne room," Alice murmurs, opening the doors and falling into an immediate, low curtsy.

Having never done so before, I try to copy Alice's movements, pleased at how my body seems to remember such a movement – no doubt some distant memory of Isobel's, saving me once again. I keep my gaze down but my head high.

Edward picked me – _me_.

I wouldn't let him down – I refuse.

A gentle voice fills the air. "Isabella Swan. Nineteen. Five feet and seven inches. American, born in Washington state," the Queen says softly. "You, my dear, are simply exquisite. Lift your eyes, now. I must see what all the fuss is about. My son did name his home after your shade."

I blink, feeling a blush flow across my skin. She knows a lot about me, probably too much to be comfortable but I feel at ease. I lift my eyes, meeting her steady, confident gaze – eyes that are a shade darker than her son's. Incredibly long, deep auburn hair tumbles down to her hips in soft waves, a polished silver, ruby, bloodstone and diamond tiara sitting atop her head.

The Queen stands tall, her shoulders straight, face soft and untouched by time, even though wisdom is clear in her fathomlessly green eyes. She is dressed casually in straight legged Chino pants and an obviously cashmere red sweater.

"Yes," the Queen says after a moment. "Violet. A shame you were not named after your eyes, though your name does match your face wonderfully."

"Thank you," I murmur, fighting not to lower my eyes.

I wasn't one to be intimidated easily but right now – standing before a Queen with my lady's maid a foot step behind me – I was intimidated. I could feel in the air that I was standing before someone with power.

"I see you got my missive," the Queen says. "Thank you for coming on time. Neither of my sons seem to understand how to read a clock."

Before I can stop myself, a snort escapes me.

Horrified, I slap my hands over my mouth.

And then, so easily, the Queen giggles. "Loosen up, dear. We have a party to plan!"

Instantly, my mind flashes back to the exact words written in the Queen's missive – _I request your presence in the planning of your coming out ball _– and I nod. "Would you mind if Alice stays? I've never planned a ball, my Queen."

The Queen smiles. "The more help, the merrier. The ball is tomorrow night. I've already sent a few of my lady's maids to retrieve a selection of dresses appropriate for the occasion. The kitchens are already preparing the standard appetizers and bloodwine selections," she tells me, moving towards a small round table stacked with various binders.

I follow, seating myself across from the Queen, Alice taking a meek seat to my right. "What else is there to plan?"

The Queen purses her lips. "The decorations and the colors. Flowers. Lighting. Don't worry about the timing, dear. We've hosted many balls and have the resources in storage to pull from. But," she sighs. "This is not just any coming out ball. My son has recently expressed his interest in this ball being a double for your public third blood exchange."

I swallow. "How recently was this?"

"You just missed him by a few minutes."

_So that's where he disappeared off too. _

I nod, feeling my brows furrow. "Forgive me for my ignorance, but is that…normal? The third bond being completed in public?"

The Queen smiles gleefully. "Of course, dear! It's more than normal – it's tradition for the royals and the nobles. A new mate being introduced into the family has to be acknowledged by all, including the subjects. I believe humans call it a wedding, yes?"

My mind moves quickly, processing, drawing parallels – Edward wants to get married _tomorrow_.

"A wedding," I say softly, feeling a smile bloom on my face. "My wedding."

The Queen pats my hand. "That's the spirit, darling. Now, for lighting, would you prefer them to twinkle or…"

* * *

**A/N: Wooo-hoo. Got the chapter in on time!**

**Shout out to the first ten reviews (and guests) of the last chapter:**

**Lost in a magic realm – I would totally feel the safest in his arms!**

**NorthmanCullen – You're awesome! RL can just go suck it!**

**TwiSagaLover – Glad you loved it!**

**Valentine Rain – lol Maybe a younger Queen, though!**

**Guest – I'm sorry you don't like a little bit of Stonerella! At least she's not getting stoned all the time!**

**Pumpkinmykitty – LOL I, for one, would prefer it from Freddie Mercury!**

**Jane3105 – When you're that high, do you really need a verbal filter? Lol**

**Twilight Rocker 12 – LOL Now I have to say, "Thanks Nicole, for the image of hairy blood and nose bleeds. Geez!"**

**And super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, nessiehugs – thanks for taking the time and reading the story! You totally get a hug!**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it. **

**~cupcakeriot**


	27. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

**Chapter Twenty Six**

* * *

_**Isabella Swan**_

I didn't think it was physically – or literally – possible to be so tired from planning an event, but my mind was completely exhausted. Lights and fabrics and colors and music and what would I, one of the only humans in attendance, like to eat?

And then there was this gem, right from the Queen's mouth: "By the way, dear, which of our ceremonial knives would you like to use?"

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Alice _was_ helpful though – she was close enough in age that she understood I didn't exactly like crystal chandeliers and gold lined goblets of blood and she kept the tedious process a little fun by purposefully picking outrageous choices to counteract the Queen's very _royal_ taste. In the end, compromises were made and though I had never been to a vampire wedding-slash-coming out party, I had every confidence that tomorrow night would go on without a hitch, besides the obvious one.

There was only _one more_ matter to discuss and, even as tired as I am, Edward had better be prepared for an earful.

Not telling me that it would be a wedding? I mean, how does that slip his mind? He's a _vampire_.

It was ridiculous.

Of _course_ I'm happy about it – I love him and though I hadn't actively thought about marrying him, I didn't see any reason not to.

_Edward_ didn't need to know that though, not yet at least.

Still not knowing my way around the royal compound, I rely on Alice to lead me to Violet Hall, where, upon arriving, one of the many vampire guards offers to escort me to Edward, who is in his personal office.

He had two offices, apparently. One in the main building and one that was for personal use; this made me curious. Who needs two offices?

Better yet, who needs two _identical_ offices?

Stepping into the room, my perfect memory relays an overlaid image of his other office – this is a carbon copy and I instantly feel like it's a bit frivolous, especially when I see Edward not doing much of anything.

Playing _Farmville_ didn't count.

I blink, watching him harvest crops with such intensity that I feel stupefied.

_He failed to tell me that we're having a wedding tomorrow but he can remember to harvest his strawberries every four hours?_

My fingers twitch and, before I can stop myself, I feel the tips of my fingers close around the top of his ear, tugging harshly.

Edward pulls a face, letting his head be pulled in my direction by his ear. "Bella?"

"Do you have something to tell me?"

He swallows. "Uh, yes I do, princess."

I glare at him. "Don't even try to _princess_ me," I tell him, letting go of his ear and closing his sleek little laptop, hoping that his little farm bursts into flames or something because it wasn't fair that he could be so relaxed while I spent the last three hours of my life dealing with our wedding.

A wedding I _just_ found out about – at this point, I didn't care that I was on cloud nine because of the upcoming nuptials.

I make direct eye contact with Edward, raising a single brow. "There have been a lot of sudden changes for me, Edward. Don't you think it would have been nice if I didn't have a wedding bomb dropped on me? By your _mother_?" I rage, tossing my hands in the air. "Do you even realize how out of my element I was? How foreign all of…all of _this_ is?" I ask, gesturing to his extravagance.

"Bella-"

"Edward, I come from near poverty," I tell him quietly. "I have worked for everything in my life. You cannot just come in, sweep me off my feet, make me _love_ you and then leave me out of the loop about things that affect me. This is my wedding, Edward!"

He frowns and I realize quite suddenly that it hadn't even crossed his mind for a second of how much changes I'd been going through – or how learning of our wedding - would affect me.

I sigh. "What about a proposal? Don't I get at least that much?" I snort, shaking my head. "A ring would have been a great hint, Edward."

Instantly, Edward has me wrapped firmly in his arms, his lips ghosting across mine. "Forgive me," he begs softly, ducking his eyes down to connect with mine. "I forget human customs. It was never my intention to upset you or bombard you with planning our final blood exchange ceremonial wedding."

He kisses my cheek – soft, sweet, perfect.

Instantly forgiving, especially since I wasn't _too_ mad in the first place, I wrap my arms around his neck, leaning into his solid chest.

"I do have a ring," he whispers.

I pull back, unable to hide the eager smile on my face. "Can I see it?"

"No."

"Please?"

He pauses. "…No."

I huff. "That's not fair."

Edward grins. "I would rather it be a surprise, princess."

Futility, I poke his chest. "You're lucky that Alice is coming to take me away soon."

It's Edward's turn to frown. "What do you mean? Why do you have to leave?"

Grinning deviously, because I suddenly had fair revenge for being out of his vampire customs loop, I laugh at him. "Human tradition," I say. "You can't see me until the wedding."

He scowls. "It's a blood ceremony."

"In which we exchange vows and promise eternity to each other."

"But it's mostly for the final blood exchange."

I quirk a brow. "I just heard something about a ring," I respond. "To me, this is sounding more like a _wedding_ than a _blood exchange_."

Edward rolls his eyes. "I do not like this human tradition that takes you away from me."

"And I don't like not knowing things," I tell him pointedly.

He sighs with reluctant acceptance, releasing me from his gentle hug just as Jasper and Alice arrive, each dropping into a bow. "My Lady, your rooms are ready."

I look back up at Edward's scowling face, rocking onto the tips of my toes to brush my lips against his in a too-brief kiss. "I will see you tomorrow at noon."

I do not give him time to respond as I slip past a relaxed Jasper and follow Alice down the hallways and into my temporary rooms.

Alice and I agree, rather quickly, that it would be best for me to go right to sleep because I certainly wouldn't be getting sleep tomorrow night. She insists on staying with me and I welcome her soothing, quiet presence as I settle into sleep.

When I wake, I feel like it's dawn – judging from the sky outside, it might as well be. Even at college, I wasn't in the habit of waking up early and seven seemed too early.

To my surprise – and mild embarrassment – Alice is not the only vampire in my room. Behind her stand two other female vampires and both are completely silent as all three lead me into the large bathroom.

Horrified, I look at the collection of beauty products lining the long counter and the various bottles balancing on the deep garden bathtub. "We're using all of that?"

Alice looks un-phased. "Of course, my Lady. Please remove your clothing."

I glance warily at the stranger vampires but conclude that they won't be leaving any time soon and Alice did look awfully determined.

I shed my clothing and stand before them nude, battling my own modesty because I'd very abruptly came to accept this as my life – and Edward was worth these fleeting uncomfortable moments.

One vampire hurries to the tub, working quickly with salts, oils and flower petals while the other vampire directs me into a soft chair; in her hand, she holds a small rectangular object that I soon realize is a permanent hair remover. Each vampire works deftly as Alice combs out my hair.

I force myself to relax, feeling the soft heat on my legs from the hair remover and the sure, forceful scrubs of some sort of pad against the newly hairless skin. I am even able to keep my eyes closed as Alice moves away and the shaving vampire works on my underarms, repeating the process. With a soft voice, she breaks into my stubborn meditation. "My Lady?"

"Yes?"

"What of your nether region?"

Heat blooms on my face. "I-I can do that."

The vampire blinks at me. "It is no trouble, my Lady."

"Charlotte," Alice whispers. "I think our Lady is fine with how she trims her nether area. It looks fine to me."

The vampire, Charlotte, nods and then helps me stand, leading me into the garden tub. As I soak, the vampires tackle my fingers and toes, buffing and filing my nails, pushing back cuticles and scrubbing my heels while Alice fills me in on the progression of the ceremony plans.

"The cooks have finished preparing all of the vampire meals and all of the maids have finished decorating the ball room," she tells me as she lathers my hair with an odd creamy cleanser that held almost no scent. "Once we are done here, you will go back to the bedroom to pick out your dress. I've looked over the selection already and have eliminated the more…revealing choices."

"Thank you, Alice."

"I think you will be pleased to know that guests are arriving on time and are being settled into the eastern wing. Violet Hall will be solely yours tonight."

I nod in understanding, clenching my eyes shut when Alice rinses my hair with a hand-held shower, immediately dousing my hair in sweet, almost fruity smelling oil and quickly rinsing the hair again.

The vampire women move out of the bathroom as Alice assists me up and into a fluffy white robe. Feeling fully pampered – and more than a little anxious – I step into soft slippers and go back into the bedroom, blinking in shock at the three racks of dresses.

"Shall we start with color?"

I nod, allowing Alice to take the gleeful lead in picking out my dress; we first eliminate colors, holding the fabrics up to my skin, and then cuts of the neckline and skirt. Managing to get the selection down to three, the vampires help me into the dresses and, while I am standing in the last dress, Alice and I share a satisfied smile – then, it's right back to business.

Again, I am in the bathroom and helped as I use intense moisturizers on every inch of my skin; then I am seated in the comfortable chair while Alice blow-dries and styles my hair as Charlotte, and Petra, the other vampire, work on painting my nails and toenails matching ruby red shades. With nimble fingers, Alice manages to curl and pin my hair easily with tiny white pearl pins, sliding an ivory and pearl comb into one side of my hair.

And then, before I can really process the fact that my face has been lightly covered with sheer foundation, my eyes dusted with sparkling cream and bronze and my lips covered in shiny bright red glossy, I am standing in front of a full-length mirror in my dress.

The first thing I notice is how smooth and pale my skin looks - and how large my eyes seem to be and how full my lips are. Random tendrils of curled hair spill from the loose up-do, framing my face and one long lock trailing down the side of my neck, curling just over my breast.

The dress is stunning – and classic, a modernized shadow of something Isobel would have worn with a diamond shaped neckline that shows off my neck, the sharp jut of my collarbone and the smooth swell of my upper breasts, pushed up by the white lace corset I wear underneath. The sleeves are tight and a little too long, covering up my knuckles and buttoned with white pearls on the sides of my wrist. The skirt flares in gentle folds from my hips, the back forming a small train about a foot long; creamy white lace overlays the soft silk a shade darker than nude that makes the dress. Standing behind me, Alice attaches a light silver, single pearl necklace, the little treasure cradled neatly in the hollow of my neck.

I exhale, blinking.

"You look beautiful, my Lady."

"Like a true princess," Charlotte agrees in a whisper, Petra nodding enthusiastically behind her.

I smile slightly, feeling my shoulders standing tall, my chin parallel to the floor – feeling essentially like real royalty.

Like I really do belong next to Edward.

"I'm ready," I say to them, allowing Charlotte to help me into the nude pumps that Alice had picked out.

Three male vampires are guarding my door; one is Jasper, who immediately moves to my side, Alice taking my other elbow with my other two maids behind me and the larger male guards escorting us out of the building. Jasper smiles kindly, quietly complimenting me.

My heart beats a quick tattoo as we enter through the back of the main building and go up a single flight of stairs that will lead to the grand ballroom.

I knew Edward would be standing at the top of the stairs, in front of the double doors, waiting for me so we can make our entrance together; I was not expecting him in full royal regalia. His suit is made of the darkest black, shining silver armor covering his shoulders and chest, a black cape lined with red falling behind him, a black sash holding an intimidating sword at his side. His fangs are fully drawn, his eyes a shade lighter than normal and his lips a shade darker; he looks at me hungrily, appreciatively.

Holding his hand out, he takes my small fingers into his grasp, pulling me into his side and pressing his nose into my hair. "You are stunning, princess," he growls.

My eyes and fingers trace the graceful line of his long sword and it's sheath. "I didn't know you use a sword."

"Merely a formality, now. I haven't needed it for hundreds of years," he answers, pressing a slow kiss onto my neck.

I feel my face flush, finally remembering that several guards and maids were surrounding us. I glance back, feeling my brows furrow when only Jasper and the other two guards are in sight.

"Where-"

"To join the crowd, love."

I take a deep breath, gazing into the mint eyes of the man I love. Decision and nerves cemented, I turn to the stairs, holding my chin high with innate grace and pride, the vampire Prince at my side doing the same thing.

The double doors open and we step onto the first step – and I accept my new future wholly.

* * *

**A/N: Well…I think you guys can guess the next chapter. Hello, climax – in more ways than one!**

***reviews on this chapter – I'm having a bad case of "I'm a writer and I'm in online college and my fingers hurt from typing all the time" so the only reviews that are being replied to are here. I truly cherish everyone and I love you guys! Next chapter will be better for reviews!***

**Shout out to the first 10 reviews of the last chapter (including guests):**

Krystalwinds1990 – I don't think I would survive a pouting Edward!

Zakhariahz – Sexy piece of vampire man-meat? I totally want a piece.

Jessica – More more more is coming!

james3142 – Yeaaahhhh….Edward kind of failed on the proposal thing, huh?

Twilight Rocker 12 – I give you amazing smutty, beautiful love and you get pleasure from giving me gross imagery? The irony kills me, Kiwi.

Tonia Rains – Nope, this ceremony doesn't make her immortal; that's a totally different thing and is more than just a bite like in the Twilight universe. And they will exchange bloodstones! Lol Good guess!

Headinthecloudsss – I hope the wedding doesn't disappoint!

Love M Go Blue – You'll see just how "human" the wedding will be!

NorthmanCullen – Carlisle is still alive! He's just…I dunno, being a king or something.

LunaDiSangue85 – Crazy people wouldn't wanna marry him!

Edward's spouse – Next chapter should blow your socks off!

Holidai – I think some miscommunication is wonderful lol I enjoy it.

Pumpkinmykitty – Her monthly visitor is long gone (thank God).

Kaygou – Well, at least she's getting a wedding, right?

**Super special shout out to the first review of the last chapter, **nessiehugs – don't swoon too hard over our Vampward! You might miss his, uh, other assets!

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it. **

**~cupcakeriot**


	28. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

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**Chapter Twenty Seven**

_Isabella Swan_

The Queen and Alice had gone through great pains to prepare me for my wedding day, but my imagination was lacking – even though I remembered every word they said and all the plans we'd made, I was still surprised by how ethereal my surroundings were.

Had it not been for Edward's tight grip and the fact that I knew he adored every inch of me, my self-esteem would have severely plummeted.

I hadn't ever seen so many beautiful people in one space.

Never mind that those _people_ were vampires.

Never mind that the soft twinkling lights suctioned to the walls, stair railings and ceilings gave everyone a certain glow.

Never mind that most of my own guests probably wanted to have me for a snack.

I was overwhelmingly…overwhelmed.

I had no words to describe my emotions.

Happy, I suppose, even though the greetings were passing too fast for even _me_ to remember every person I was introduced to; faces whipped by along with names and all I could do was smile and grip Edward's hand.

Each guest was dressed impeccably; the year before I started high school, I indulged and watched the Oscars on television and that was _exactly_ how the vampires, and the few humans, were dressed. One blond in particular was dripping with rubies and diamonds and, after a moment, I recognized her.

_Rosalie_.

The mate of Edward's brother was stunning, almost too beautiful to keep my eyes on, but it didn't make me feel insecure – rather, I felt an unexpected swell of anticipation.

_As a vampire, I'll look that gorgeous, too_.

The thought, which came out of nowhere, was certainly a surprise.

When had I decided on that?

Of course, I did want forever with Edward and I figured, somewhere down the line before I was covered in grey hairs and wrinkles, Edward would change me.

But I felt a sense of urgency – I needed to be changed soon.

I shake the thought off, making a mental note to speak with Edward about it.

This was a decision that involved him, too.

A too-sweet voice draws me out of my idle thoughts. A short, platinum blond woman in a depressingly _black_ dress is standing before Edward and I, her head held arrogantly and her eyes breathing fire, though the smile on her face never faded. She sinks into a quick bow, as if showing her respect to the royal house was beneath her.

"Prince," she says, completely ignoring me.

"Duchess Jane," Edward answers, his voice completely neutral.

The Duchess clears her throat primly, her eyes narrowing. "On behalf of Maine, I wish you a happy union."

I blink, confused by her obvious hostility.

"Thank you," Edward replies coolly. "This is my mate, Isabella."

Jane makes a small noise in the back of her throat. "She is not your mate yet."

Edward growls, a menacing sound that sends a domino of silence throughout the room and draws every eye to him. "You would do well to show respect."

"For a blood bag? I think not."

His fangs click down as he pushes me behind his body. His hand reaches for his sword just as Rosalie and Emmett step between the Duchess and the enraged Prince.

Rosalie aims an impressive glare at the shorter vampire as Emmett pushes Edward back by his shoulders.

Growling, my Prince snaps his fingers at a few of the servants. "Get that bitch out of my site," he demands, motioning to the Duchess.

As she is escorted out, though, I see a flash of triumph in her eyes that instantly sets me on edge. There was something distinctly _planned_ about what just happened.

Drawing my attention away from the dramatic scene, Rosalie leans towards me. "I hope you are ready," she whispers, her lips barely moving from the soft smile on her face – and I understood the slight act, especially with all the eyes on us. "Smile now while Edward calms down. Show your strength. Vampires like that."

I force a smile and hold my head high, my back straight, careful not to make direct eye contact with any unfamiliar vampires.

As if my show of strength is somehow a sign, attention is drawn away from our little group, towards the front where the Queen and King are sitting on ornate thrones, which had been moved from the throne room. In front of their platform is a simple silver pedestal holding a single, wide silver cup and the black casing of the ceremonial knife I picked earlier. The Queen is standing from her seat, holding a goblet of blood, her fingers tapping against the glass. "The sun has set. The ceremony shall begin."

I had expected a flash of nerves but with one glance in Edward's direction, my mind was instantly calmed.

This was right.

This was meant to happen.

This _should_ have happened two hundred years ago – though, I am glad it's _me_ who gets to have him, instead of Isobel.

_I did speak English, after all_.

Edward takes my hand gently, leading me through the parting cloud and towards out new destiny.

We stand on opposite sides of the pedestal, our hands held over the bowl.

Edward utters words to me, making his pledge and vow to me in his ancient vampire language; and I repeat the words back as best as I can, having memorized the phrase earlier today from Alice.

Once the last word falls from my lips, a shock of electricity flows through Edward and I, almost melding our hands together as we hold our wrists over the wide silver cup.

Edward uses our ceremonial knife first, the blood an odd contrast to the eerily beautiful silver and white bone hilt, the thin polished blade. With a steady hand, I take my turn, wincing slightly as the blade cuts into the delicate skin on my wrist, allowing my blood to mix with Edward's.

My Prince comes to stand behind me, wrapping me up in his strong arms as I hold the cup up to my lips, draining half of it before handing it off to Edward. He takes my left hand, gently sliding on an intricate princess cut silver ring dotted with bloodstones and a single diamond. The taste of our combined blood is strangely sweet and leaves me feeling heady – giddy, almost.

The crowd erupts into polite clapping and low bows, offering respect to me, the new Princess.

And when they are through, Edward and I separate, bowing to the King and Queen, who wave us away with indulgent smiles.

I knew Edward had to be fast – but I didn't truly realize how fast he was.

My scenery blurred until we come to a stop in his personal chamber, the door locking heavily behind us.

His lips are hot on mine, coaxing a hot flush up my neck as he breathes his cool breath into me, his hands running over every inch of my body that he can reach. He stops, inhaling deeply at the crook of my neck. "Princess," he groans, pushing his lower body against mine.

"Yes," I gasp, arching against him.

_Closer._

_I've got to get closer_.

I wasn't sure if it was our combined blood affecting my body, but I didn't truly care. My short time with Edward had been leading up to this.

"I need to know," he starts, stopping to breathe me in again.

My head is foggy. "Know what?"

Edward pulls back. "Your scent…your body is prepared to conceive. I need to know if…"

_He needs to know if he should pull out_, I surmise with an embarrassed blush. We'd had a brief conversation about this – Edward knew exactly when I could get pregnant by scent alone and he'd alluded to the fact that there was no birth control that vampires used, mostly due to the fact that only mates could get pregnant.

Through our thriving, complete bond, I can feel his eagerness, his lust, his want, his sheer _love_ for me – and I know there is no way I can deny him.

My arms wrap tightly around his neck, pulling my face closer to his. "If it happens," I breathe, pressing a slow kiss to the side of his mouth. "It happens. Edward, I just _need_ you."

He understands.

He doesn't waste any time.

Edward is careful with my dress, gentle when he plucks the pins from my hair – but as soon as I am freed from those constraints, he literally rips off the pure white lingerie I am wearing.

My body is human – sensitive.

Edward doesn't care one bit.

He brings me to sweet completion several times – with his fingers, with his mouth, his eyes on me, his own lust burning through me, making all of my emotions more intense.

By the time I am mindless, he is naked, sliding his skin against mine, bathing his thick, throbbing manhood against my twitching core, his lips attached to my fluttering pulse.

"I love you," he murmurs, growling, scraping his fangs against my skin when my hips buck.

As relaxed as I am from all of Edward's careful preparation, it still hurts when he breaks through my virginity, sealing me as _his_. He holds himself still, a rumbling growl in his throat.

"_Mine_."

Fingers plucking at my nipples, he presses himself impossibly closer, as if he can crawl into my body, before slowly pulling out all the way.

He looks down as he presses in again.

Pulls out.

In halfway.

Out again.

"_My_ princess," he snarls, his eyes never leaving the center of our bodies. "_Mine. _Perfect."

Then, so slowly it's torture, he presses forward all the way, keeping a torturously slow rhythm until I am clawing at his back, bucking my hips, arching my back in an effort to bring him ever closer.

I cry out when he hits something deep, deep inside – and let out a scream when he begins a relentless pace, his angle making him hit that spot on every thrust.

My body erupts twice before Edward is close; his fangs scrape against my neck again, sinking into my skin, sending me into another tailspin orgasm that feels everlasting. He's buried to the hilt, twitching deep inside me as my body milks him of everything.

I lose track of how long Edward stays hovered over me, softly kissing any skin he can reach without moving. My eyes are closed – both of us are completely exhausted, though I am getting a strong feeling of smug arrogance from Edward.

If I wasn't so tired, I would roll my eyes at him.

When he does pull out of me, I feel a short gush of liquid and squeeze my legs together.

For his part, Edward looks pleased as he walks towards his bathroom, coming back with a hot washcloth that cleans me of our…_fluids_. I blush as he does so and Edward pretends not to notice, throwing the washcloth into a trashcan and spooning up behind me. He kisses the back of my head as my eyes flutter shut.

Sometime later, just as dawn is breaking over the white landscape outside, there is an urgent knock at the door that pulls Edward from me; Emmett and Jasper are on the other side, quickly and quietly informing Edward of something. He closes the door, turning to me with an impassive face, though I sense a great deal of alarm through our bond. His panic sets me on edge, my hair standing up on end.

"What? What is it?"

Edward's hands find purchase in his hair and he tugs harshly on the strands as he speaks. "The Duchess," he spits. "Jasper has been searching for the identity of the ferry operator and he just found it."

My mind works quickly, trying to keep up. "You're saying that the Duchess was his _Master_?"

Edward shakes his head. "I'm not saying that, exactly. He works in her home, specifically. It would be fitting-"

"If I owned him," the Duchess finishes coolly.

I let out a short scream, completely startled – and then completely worried for Edward's life when Duchess Jane saunters up behind him, holding our ceremonial knife. There was a reason vampires used certain knives; only one distinct mixture of metal could cut a vampire's skin and Jane was wielding the very tool that could easily kill Edward, if that was her goal.

_How did she get in? We have guards-_

_But this isn't a human home, is it? It's Edward's. He's a vampire. She's a vampire. The silent invitation is open because he's not human._

_She easily snuck in._

Still naked, I pull the sheets up tightly around my chest, Edward's emotions blaring through me – his anger, his shock, his worry for _me_.

Jane laughs, waving the knife at Edward when his body twitches in my direction. "No, no, _Prince_," she sneers. "Leave the little human whore alone. This is between me and you."

I bristle at her description of me but quiet myself – Jane wasn't the least bit concerned about _me_. She didn't know about my gift.

Which meant that I could do something about this.

I just needed the right moment.

Clenching my jaw, I focus my mind on Jane's third eye, which is churning black and angry red.

"Ah, Edward," she sighs, circling him, drawing the tip of the knife lightly around his torso, pausing in front of him with the edge over his heart. "You should listen to your blood bag. She's right. I was Alec's Master. He failed me, the weakling. I should have known it would take _me_ to finish this."

Keeping his face as neutral as possible, Edward replies. "Finish what?"

Jane blinks. "My plan, of course. I started it about two hundred years ago. There was a party," she hints. "And then, it went _boom_."

I ignore the painful swell of agony Edward sends me – keeping my focus on Jane and her mind aura, waiting for the perfect time.

"It was you," Edward says softly.

She laughs with malice. "I was stupid then, relying on human technology to kill a vampire. But," she pauses. "I did accomplish something. I killed your first blood bag. That's worth a lot in my book."

A wave of protectiveness and possessiveness washes over me as Edward snarls. "I should kill you for treason."

Jane laughs again. "Oh? Kill me?" She presses our ceremonial knife into Edward's skin, drawing blood. "I doubt it. I've been waiting for this day for _years_."

"Why?"

Jane smiles, looking completely deranged. "Isn't it obvious? I want _power_. Being a Duchess in Maine is nothing compared to being a Queen."

Edward lifts his chin. "Then why me?"

She makes her bottom lip pout out. "Not just you. I did try to blow up you _and_ your brother last week. Remember? You hurt your shoulder," she sighs. "No, _you_ are just the heir to the throne. If I kill you first, then I can get to the King and Queen. And then I can get to your brother. And then, North American will be _mine_," she laughs.

I grit my teeth, opening the pathway of her mind.

_Take the knife,_ I order ruthlessly. _And kill yourself._

* * *

**A/N: So, had finals this week. New classes start on Monday – gotta love accelerated online programs! Lots happened in this chapter, I know. Who guessed Jane as the villain?**

**Shout out to the first ten reviews of the last chapter (plus guests)**

**boo1414 – Fangs in action? Woooo!**

**NorthmanCullen – As hard as online classes can be, I kind of love them because they're that difficult lol Nice 'brow wiggle!**

**Debslmac - **** Love you!**

**Flavia Ribeiro – Keep loving it!**

**emily444 – Thank you!**

**LunaDiSangue85 – Men are assholes lol Edward can be one too! But that's okay because he's so hunky ;)**

**Le Crepuscule – I'm awesome? You're awesome!**

**Pumpkinmykitty – Right? I love the idea of an Edward with a weapon ;)**

**jafr86 – Thanks!**

**Superspecial shout out to the first review of the last chapter, LadyCinnia – I hope you enjoyed the ceremony!**

**As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.**

**~cupcakeriot**


	29. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: These are not Stephanie's vampires.**

* * *

**Epilogue**

_Edward Cullen_

There is always an ending.

Every story, every painful – and happy – memory, every day always has an ending.

The ending to the longest wait of my life happened a few short weeks ago, when my beautiful little mate was in my sight once more.

The ending to the tortuous mystery of her first death happened a short few moments ago and at my Bella's hands – or, rather, her mind.

As I hold my mate against my healing chest, pressing my nose into the crown of her head, pieces of that mystery fall into place. Unfortunately, my clan executed the wrong group of vampires for Jane's crimes; the bloodstone rings that lay underneath my grandfather's pocket watch were taken from innocent beings, a guilt that rested heavily upon my shoulders. I make a mental note to find their families to atone for that particular sin.

Bella shudders against my chest, her eyes squeezed tight. As tall as I am, my waifish little mate seems to be the perfect height – and, of course, she would be. She was born just for me.

My large hands easily cover her hunched shoulder blades as I rub her back in an effort to calm her, sending soothing feelings through our fresh bond.

My poor princess.

Jane had underestimated her – tragically so. My only regret in this nonsense is that Bella had to commit _another_ act that goes against her very morals; my arms tighten around her as I silently promise that she will never have to kill again.

Jasper, my ever trusted guard, breezes into the room, my brother hot on his heels.

They see the macabre sight of Jane's crumpled form and quickly set to removing her and the soiled white rug from the site. Jasper murmurs that he will find her entry point and alert the King of the events that just transpired.

Carrying my mate into the bathroom, I flip on the hot water, intent on washing away this experience in all ways possible.

Yes, there is always and ending.

And with every ending, there is a beginning.

The true beginning of our lives began a short week later, after the trials for Jane's treachery were over and behind us.

With renewed vigor, I took to comforting, claiming and loving my mate.

True, she was not my little French mate – she was not Isobel. But I never really knew the first that captured my heart and Bella, her reincarnation, was my true mate.

My princess.

My Bella.

And the mother of my child.

It was midnight and after a round of particularly enjoyable coupling that the scent of our child hit me – a slight spice added to Bella's natural scent that caused me to press my nose against the subtle curve of her stomach.

A surge of pride rushes through me – male pride, to be exact.

"You're just so proud of yourself," Bella observes once I clue her in to my admittedly odd behavior. Her fingers glide through my hair, a simple touch that awakens uncontrollable passions in my loins.

I grin at my mate, flashing my fangs. "Of course. My seed works rather quickly, even for a vampire."

She blushes prettily, looking away.

I simply kiss her stomach, eagerly awaiting the next several months.

The first full month of Bella's pregnancy is the hardest – Bella is rather violently ill, spending most of her time on her knees in the bathroom and sipping on carbonated water. Alice, my mate's trusted lady's maid, is present most of the time, happily kneeling beside my love, patiently assisting.

Month two is little better, though Bella's rushing to the bathroom in the mornings and evenings especially have drastically improved. She seems stronger, though the royal doctor insists on her having daily doses of my blood to keep the child strong and happy. I don't mind a bit.

By the time we reach the third month, my instincts to keep Bella locked away increase dramatically – so much so that I only allow Alice, Rosalie and my mother to see her. Bella is more amused than annoyed by this and spends much of her time stroking her rounded stomach. Her breasts grow slightly, much to her delight. My mate's happiness is at an all-time high and, after a round of lovemaking that I could not stop myself from, she confesses to me that she loves the changes of her body, having always wanted the rounded curves of her widening hips and growing breasts. The insecurities of her body had not been hidden from me, but I am happy to lend and ear and, much to her pleasure, positive reinforcement.

Like all other vampire pregnancies, Bella's stomach expands rapidly by the forth month – she can't seem to be able to walk without having at least one hand supporting her lower back, much to her chagrin. Thankfully, my mate isn't _too_ hormonal, at least, until she speaks with her Father, keeping the charade up that she is in France, though she does introduce _me_, claiming that I was part of the same program.

The fifth month shows no growth of her stomach, only growth in her appetite for my blood and my body – and I certainly don't mind. I'm so drawn in by her body, the glowing of her skin, the rich luster of her eyes and hair. I love her. I adore her and our child; each night ends with my head pressed against her stomach, speaking to my child, who kicks strongly.

Mother had prepared me for the sixth month; I'm not ashamed to admit that the highly irregular mood swings scared me a bit. The most startling change was the sudden, final growth of her stomach and the fact that Bella could not move from our bed without assistance. During this time, though, she delegated the decoration of our child's nursery. On the days when Bella sent me away with a glare for whatever trivial thing I forgot, I spent my days in the soft mint room, touching the soft plush cows, frogs and Frankenstein. I put the crib together myself, ridiculously proud – I suspect any male would be in that situation.

And then, the day came.

"Edward!"

Hearing the scream, I leave the nursery and come to Bella's side, alarmed by the sweat on her brow and the large wet puddle beneath her body. She clenches my hand, gritting her teeth.

"It's time! Good God, I need Daisy Duck!"

I call for Alice and send Jasper for the doctor, who arrives in just minutes.

It seems my child's entrance into the world is quick, though I'm sure Bella would disagree.

I stay by my lovely mate's side, feeding her ice chips, wiping her brow and letting her squeeze my hand with each contraction. Bella refuses to scream when it comes time to push and my heart swells with love.

And then, as if from nowhere, the loud cry of our child rings through the room.

He is beautiful – my hair, her eyes and a perfect set of fangs, which he uses right away as he nurses for the first time, pulling in a healthy amount of blood from his mother's breast before taking her milk under her tender gaze.

I am speechless when he is in my arms. He doesn't seem real, though I had been watching him grow for six months.

His grip is strong.

We name him Simon, after Bella's father – and Isobel's.

Finally alone with my mate and my son, reclining beside her tired body with my son dozing in my arms, I smile.

Now, my heart beats three times.

* * *

**A/N: Well, that's it! The End of Blood!**

**Is it weird that I'm kind of sad? I love these characters – they've been in my head since middle school, even if the story isn't exactly the same. But I have nothing more for their story line right now – though, vampires **_**will**_** be revisited in the future.**

**BIG thanks to all of those who reviewed, favorited and followed!**

**Seriously, I love you all! It means so much that people actually bother to read this stuff – though, it's for the sex, isn't it?**

**Alright. I'm off – writing another story by the name of Hallelujah!**

**~cupcakeriot**


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